


'Til Life Do Us Part

by Nothing_You_Can_Prove



Series: The Pricefield Playlist [3]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Angst, Grim Reapers, Grim reaper au, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Original Character(s), Romance, minor chasemarsh, pricefield
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2016-09-21
Packaged: 2018-05-07 16:47:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 55,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5463839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nothing_You_Can_Prove/pseuds/Nothing_You_Can_Prove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Max finds herself in an office, but can't remember how she got there. Add someone walking into the room in a long black cloak with a scythe and things start getting weird.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Minor Admin Problem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max finds herself in an office, but can't remember how she got there. Add someone walking into the room in a long black cloak with a scythe and things start getting weird.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone. Another fanfiction ideas out in the open. This one is going to be a really interesting one for me to write and I’m sure to read as well. I just love getting those wacky ideas out there.  
> Enjoy

**Chapter One: A Minor Admin Error**

**Max’s POV**

My eyes slowly open, my sight bleary and unfocused unlike anything I have ever experienced before. I grab at my head as a dull aching passing through it.

_My head…_

As my vision becomes clearer I scan my surroundings, my brow furrowing when I don’t recognize the room.

_Where the hell am I?_

I’m slumped in a chair in what appears to be an office, at least if the minimalistic furniture I can see is anything to go by. I shift into an upright position, massaging my neck to alleviate the pain of falling asleep at an awkward angle, and look around in a dazed trance in an attempt to figure out where I am. The room I am in is small, yet cozy. A large wooden desk sits in front of me, crumpled up pieces of paper and god knows what else strewn across it.

_Damn, I think whoever works here is messier than I am, and that’s saying something._

A computer is positioned atop the desk to the left. I lean forward and wiggle the computer mouse to see if it’s still on. Nothing happens, the screen remaining blank. I lean back in the chair and sigh.

_So much for that idea._

There are a few used cups dotted around on the desk. My curiosity gets the better of me and I lean forward to inspect one, an action I immediately regret.

_How long has that even been there? You know what, I don’t want to know._

I place the cup back on the desk and continue my search. Various posters line the otherwise bare walls, some of obscure bands I have never even heard of, others are… less work appropriate. A snow globe sits on the desk just in front of me. I carefully pick it up, giving it a shake and watching curiously as the small blobs of artificial snow whirl around in the glass dome, settling around a lone tawny doe fixed in the middle.

_Ok, now put it back on the desk before you break it._

I gentle place the globe back on the desk, positioning it in the exact same place as before. As I stretch my legs out, my foot hits something underneath the desk. I glance under the desk to find a small cardboard box with scruffy handwriting labelling it **Photos**. Something about this unassuming box interests me… maybe it’s just because I’m nosy. I stare at it, pondering whether to open it or not.

_As much as I would love to look, it feels wrong._

I resist the overwhelming urge to peak in the box and instead rub my temples, trying hard to remember something… anything.

_How did I get here? Where even is here? I don’t remember. My head hurts too much to think right now._

As I sit there rubbing my face with my hand there is a loud creak from behind me. I snap my head around to look for the source of the noise to find a hooded figure walking into the office with a scythe, shutting the door behind them. My eyes widen in shock at the strange sight before me.

_Uh… ok this is weird. I’m pretty sure Halloween has already come and gone. Maybe I’m at a cosplay convention or something…_

I rack my brain, trying to figure out what happened with limited success. While I am lost in thought, the figure rests the scythe against a wall and takes off their cloak, chucking it haphazardly on a pile of unorganized papers in the corner of the room. Now it’s off, I can see the figures features much better. Before me stand a tall girl with faded blue hair and tired azure eyes. She is wearing an off-white sleeveless t-shirt with a skull on it, grey patch up pants with suspenders hanging down either side, black boots and a dark blue beanie on her head. On her right arm is a colorful tattoo sleeve and a necklace hangs down, three bullets attached. The left most and middle bullet are rusted, however the middle one also glows a faint blue.

The girl slumps down into the chair opposite me, putting her feet on the desk as rubs her temples and sighs deeply. For a moment I wonder if she’s fallen asleep, but after a few seconds she glances up at me apologetically, “Hey. Sorry, I didn’t see you there. They’re supposed to page me when someone is sent over.”

She shoves her hand into her right pocket, taking out a small pager and regards it drowsily, “Huh. So much for that new system,” she mumbles under her breath as she puts it back in her pocket before turning back to me, “Just… give me a sec. It’s been busy today. Lots of people to admit.”

Her words catch me off guard.

_Ad-admit? What the fuck is going on?_

She leans back in the chair, breathing deeply then reaches into the topmost left hand drawer and takes out some sort of tablets. She pops a few, throwing them into her mouth and washes them down with a half full glass of water sat on the desk. She rubs at her temples, “I’ve got such a head ache now. I hate paperwork, but then who doesn’t?”

Eventually, she takes her feet of the desk and re-positions herself, cracking her knuckles before smiling at me. She searches around on the desk, if that’s what you could call it, and locates a post-it-note and a chewed pen, then gives me an expectant look, “Right, so, what’s your name?”

My throat becomes very dry as I try to comprehend this whole situation I’ve found myself in, “M-Max Caulfield,” I stutter nervously, biting at my lip.

She scribbles it down in the same messy handwriting I had seen on the box under the desk. She taps her pen on the desk, “You wouldn’t believe how many people don’t remember. It makes it so much harder to get everything moving. It’s not usually their fault though. They’re the ones who usually suffer from head trauma. Nasty way to go. You can have side effects for hours afterwards.”

_H-head trauma? Is this a hospital?_

Her eyes pass over the mess on the desk, causing her to sigh and smile apologetically, “This might take a while,” she begins to search through all the loose papers on her desk, “I’ve been meaning to tidy this up for a while now. As you can see, it hasn’t happened,” she flicks through the pile and picks up an envelope, briefly examining it and then tossing it in the trash can beside the desk with an exasperated sigh, “Why do they keep sending me adverts for fucking TV packages? It seems even here I can’t escape it. They really are persistent,” she mutters to herself as she examines the pile.

After a few minutes of searching, her brow furrows in confusion as she leans back further in her chair, stroking her chin deep in thought, “Huh, that’s odd. There doesn’t seem to be any paperwork for you. Hold on,” she types away at the computer on the desk, her fingers moving with an almost inhuman speed across the keyboard. Every so often she pauses, squinting at the screen before furiously typing away again. Eventually she stops, scratching at her head, “The system doesn’t seem to have anything. Strange. One minute.”

Her hand finds a phone laying on the desk and she punches in a number, holding the receiver to her ear. She rolls her eyes and gives me a bored look, “It takes so long to contact anyone in this place. I swear if I have to listen to that hold music for more than a minute, I’m going to go crazy,” she taps her fingers impatiently on the desk as she waits, then sits up slightly, “Hey, Juliet. I have an inquiry. Have you got the paperwork for Max Caulfield? I can’t find anything,” she twirls the cord of the phone around her finger as she listens, her expression changing to one of mild annoyance, “No, I haven’t lost it. I just can’t find it. Why do you always assume it’s my fault?” she pauses, then exhales deeply, “Ok, that was once. Won’t anyone drop that? There isn’t anything on the system either,” she re-adjusts the beanie on her head as she listens, her body tensing up by the second, “What, again? Are you serious?” she questions, her exhaustion obvious from her tone, “Thanks for letting me know.”

With that, she hangs up and turns her attention back to me, clearing her throat, “I’m not quite sure how to explain this so I’m just going to say it. You may kind of be nearly dead.”

My eyebrows shoot upwards to my hairline at these words. I sit there bewildered, unable to process this bold claim.

_What the fuck is happening?_

“What?” I weakly ask in a half-strangled voice.

The girl leans forward, placing her elbows on the desk and propping her chin on her hand, “This is the place where people wait to pass to the other side. Where all the legal shit happens. You have no idea how much work goes into this whole death thing. It’s easy for you guys, you just pass. We’ve got the hard job.”

My brain can’t register anything she is telling me right now, no-one could in my position, “D-dead. I’m…” I stammer, my unfinished sentence hanging in the heavy silence. I scour my mind, trying to remember what happened, but draw a blank.

_That can’t be right._

The girl shakes her head, “No, like I said, you are kind of slightly on the verge of death. You’re in a coma and you’re here until your body decides whether to keep going or… stop. There is a failsafe in the system to prevent people from going before their time. That’s why you’re in a coma,” at this point she pauses and stares at me with uncertainty, trying to gauge my reaction.

“Oh, you’re joking, right? This is… all some big prank,” I stutter, trying desperately to make some sense of this whole situation.

She offers me a tired smile, “I would love to tell you that. Believe me, it would be easier for everyone if it had been a joke, but unfortunately it’s not,” she exhales, rubbing at her eyes, “I have a feeling I’ll be working late again to fix this cock up. Great. When I find out who did this…”

_I… I can’t believe this._

I just sit there completely dazed, “How… how did this happen?”

She rubs her neck and laughs nervously, “Yeah, you’re not actually supposed to be here. It was a minor admin problem.”

“A m-minor admin problem?”

The girl leans forwards slightly, “The people who sort that side of things out have been overworked recently, as we all have. It’s really intensive work, lots of sleepless nights. Everyone makes mistakes.”

_Am I dreaming? Why am I even questioning this? Of course I am. There is no logical explanation for this other than it being a fabrication of my mind… right?_

I reach over and pinch my hand to wake myself from this bizarre dream, but nothing happens. The girl smiles at me reassuringly, “Don’t worry, we’re on it. You’ll be back in no time.”

Even with her assurances, I can’t help but feel apprehensive about all this.

_What the fuck is going on? I’m… in a coma. How? How did that happen? What do I do now?_

I take a deep calming breath, “Ok… ok…  what should I do?”

The girl looks thoughtful, propping her chin on her hand, “Well, you can go give the place a check out, grab some tea or whatever. It shouldn’t take too long, unless we have an unforeseen complication.”

_That sounds ominous._

“Wh-what kind of unforeseen complication?” I hesitate, not sure if I actually want to hear the answer.

“Once you have worked in this place long enough you kind of expect the unexpected. Who knows what’s going to go down? It can get pretty busy here,” she inspects the chipped blue nail polish on her fingers as she speaks, “Also, there are always a few… short term effects we try to minimize for you, like minor brain damage, memory loss… you know, that kind of thing.”

“M-memory loss?”

She smiles at me sheepishly, “Yeah. It usually comes back… eventually... most of the time…” she clears her throat, “Look, let me worry about that. You just go have fun and explore.”

I lean back into the chair, shaking my head in disbelief as she returns her attention to the paperwork strewn over her desk.

_Wowser. This is crazy._

She looks up momentarily from the desk, “You can stay here if you want. It’s not like I’ll be doing anything majorly exciting, but I’m not going to turn down the company,” she motions over to a stack of leaflets sat in the corner of the desk, “There are some pamphlet type things explaining how this whole gig works. You can have a look at those if you want. I also have a few magazines scattered around. If you can find them, you are welcome to have a look,” she tilts her head curiously, “While you’re here, have you lost a relative or friend recently?”

_Not that I know of._

“Uh… I don’t think so.”

She shrugs, picking up one of the papers, “Shame, you could have said goodbye.”

_I guess I’m stuck here for a while. I don’t really want to go wandering about. I’ll probably get lost._

I take one of the leaflets off the desk and absentmindedly flick through it. It’s mainly about coping with the fact that you are dead and also what happens afterwards.

_I bet a lot of people freak out._

I see one of the magazines on the floor and pick it up. The girl glance over at me, her face registering amusement, “That one is a personal favorite of mine.”

On closer inspection, I see that it’s a porn magazine and shake my head, “I wonder why.”

She grins at me cheekily, raising an eyebrow suggestively, “What can I say? It gets lonely here.”

I roll my eyes, feeling my cheeks heat up ever so slightly at her insinuation, “I really needed to know that.”

“It is vital information,” she smirks as she shuffles through the papers rapidly, then suddenly shoves them in one of the desk drawers, “You know what? I am so done with work for today. Want to go grab a coffee or something?”

_Why not? It’s not like I have anything else to do._

“Why the fuck not?” I shrug, adjusting the strap of my camera bag on my shoulder.

The girl smiles warmly at me, “I know a great place, come on,” she stands up, her entire body clicking as she stretches, “I’ve been sat down pretty much all day, not fun,” she grabs a black jacket from behind the door.

I grin in amusement, motioning my head towards the cloak she threw in the corner earlier, “Aren’t you going out in the cloak?”

She turns to me and scoffs, “No way. That thing gets way too hot.”

I follow her out of the office and walk down the corridor, struggling to keep up with her long strides, “Why do you even have it? Is it a requirement for the job, like a uniform?”

She turns to me and shakes her head, “Nope. This is a personal creation of mine. There was no way in hell I was going to wear the uniform they provided. Trust me, it’s hideous. Besides, what is cooler than a scythe?”

_I guess that’s true._

“A valid point,” I agree.

She grins, flashing me an amused glance, “Ah, a girl after my own heart. I have a feeling we will get along famously.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Chloe is the Grim Reaper. A very random idea, I know. It’s going to be fun to see how this one plays out. Have a great day guys and see ya soon.


	2. Blue Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max wants to learn more about the mysterious girl and the unusual situation she has found herself in. Who is this girl? A chat over some coffee and waffles is in order.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody. I hope you’re doing good today. Here is the next chapter. The lyrics used are from Blue Blood by Foals. Go give it a listen. They will be in bold and italics.   
> Enjoy

**Chapter Two: Blue Blood**

We enter a door to our right, leading into a small yet cozy room. Inside are several tables and chairs, most of which are empty. A few people are dotted here and there, quietly drinking, eating and watching the world go by. We weave our way through the chairs and approach the counter. A short woman with blonde hair tied back into a bun stands behind the counter. She wears a simple white t-shirt and a black skirt, a golden cross necklace swinging gentle as she cleans the surface of the counter. Chloe gives her a small wave to catch her attention, “Hi, Chloe,” she looks over to me and gives me a kind smile, “Who’s your friend?”

Chloe puts an arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer to her, “This is Max.”

_I feel… strange. I can’t quite put my finger on why though. I feel kind of safe with her arm around me. Like nothing can hurt me._

The blonde haired girl holds out her hand, “It’s nice to meet you Max. I’m Kate. I own this place.”

I take her hand and shake it, “Nice to meet you too.”

Chloe leans against the counter lazily, “Max is just passing through this place.”

Kate nods knowingly at Chloe as she takes a mug off of the counter and placing it by a sink behind her, “More admin problems?”

Chloe takes off her beanie, shoving it in her pocket and runs her fingers through her hair tiredly. Her hair is not entirely blue as I once thought. Strawberry blonde roots poke through which match her eyebrows. These blend into a pale purple color, which then fades into a light blue the further down you look, “You bet,” she breathes.

Kate shakes her head, “I don’t envy you. Maybe I can give you a hand later.”

Chloe grins appreciatively, “That would be hella awesome and I would owe you big time.”

Kate beams at us, “You already do. Anyway, what would you like?”

She searches around under the counter, bringing up a pile of menus. She shifts through them, muttering to herself as she does. There are lots of different languages, some I have never seen before. She locates the correct one and passes it to me. I examine it and see that the menu is two pages long, separated into different categories, from sweet to savory, hot to cold, spicy to mild… it pretty much has everything you could ever want.

_There really is a wide variety on here. It all sounds tasty._

My stomach grumbles loudly in anticipation, causing me to blush and Chloe to smirk, “Someone’s hungry. I feel you.”

I scan the columns, the word waffles catching my eye almost immediately.

_I can’t pass that up. Who could?_

I hand Kate back to menu, “Could I have a black coffee and some waffles please?”

Kate smiles and winks at me, placing it back under the counter, “Of course. You’re in for a treat. I don’t like to brag, but I can make some pretty mean waffles.”

“She’s being modest,” Chloe chuckles, “They are frickin’ awesome.”

She turns to Chloe with a look of mild amusement, “I guess you want the usual.”

Chloe nods, “I do indeed.”

Kate turns and busies herself. After a few moments, she turns back to us with our order. Chloe has ordered some coffee as well as a huge plate of bacon and eggs. She takes the tray and locates a free table, weaving in and out of the chairs in her way with expert precision. She places the tray on a table with a loud clank and takes a seat, rubbing her hand together eagerly, “I am hungry like the wolf,” she grabs some cutlery and begins to descend on her food with an animal-like ferocity. It is quite the sight, unlike anything I have ever seen before. I giggle as she shovels it into her mouth, making her look up, “What are you laughing at?”

She has some egg yolk on the corner of her mouth, so I reach out instinctively and wipe it off with my thumb before my brain catches up. Chloe sits there, staring at me incredulously with her jaw agape. When I finally realize what I’ve just done, my eyes widen and I turn away shyly to hide the sudden flush on my cheeks.

_Dog, Max. You’re acting super weird. What the hell is wrong with me?_

After a few moments of awkward silence, I mumble, “I don’t think I have ever seen anyone eat so… aggressively.”

Chloe clears her throat nervously, rubbing at the back of her neck and biting her lip as a slight blush begins to form on her cheeks.

_She probably thinks I’m a total creep now._

When she finally speaks, her voice is low and hesitant, “Well, I… um… haven’t had anything since this morning. I’ve been hella busy all day and haven’t had the chance to eat properly,” she finishes off her food in a matter of seconds then leans back in her chair and sighs contently. She fingers the handle of her cup, pushing it from side to side, “It’s never usually too busy this time of day here. It’s nice to have a bit of down time. Any excuse to get out of that office.”

_What even is the time? I have no idea._

I take a sip of my coffee, the warm liquid running down my throat perks me up almost immediately, “What time is it?”

Chloe looks at her right wrist, examining a watch like bracelet. It is an intriguing device, really high tech. There are so many switches and buttons, along with various numbers and symbols covering it, some I have never even seen before.

“I assume you want Arcadia Bay time,” I nod, “One minute…” she mutters under her breath as she jabs one of the buttons several times with her finger, each time causing the face of the watch to change. She sighs in exasperation, her brow furrowing in annoyance and her teeth gritting, “I’ve had this thing for about, god it must be getting on for five years now and I still can’t work it out. Hold on,” she sticks her tongue out in concentration, “Goddamn it!” she shouts out after a few moments as she taps the screen in frustration, “Sometimes I just want to throw this junk out the window. Stupid budget cuts. This thing is falling apart. I really should find the instruction manual…”

_If it’s in her office, then there is no hope. It is as good as lost to the world._

“Good luck finding it,” I grin cheekily.

She pouts at me, “Hey, I’ve been working a lot recently. I haven’t had time to get my shit together… a-ha,” she calls out triumphantly, “It is…” she squints at the screen, “7th October 2013…” she pauses to fiddle with another button and flicks a switch, “5:23 pm.”

“How long have I been here?”

She shrugs, “Hmm… I have no idea. It’s hard to pin down when you don’t remember and there is no paperwork. As much as I hate doing it, it is useful. You could have been here for anywhere up to two weeks, maybe longer. Sometimes there is a waiting list.”

I lean back in my chair, completely stunned by the possibility, “T-two weeks.”

_Surely it couldn’t have been that long. I would know… right?_

Chloe pushes her plate to one side and leans forward, placing her elbow on the table and propping her chin on her hand, “Time here doesn’t work like it does in the Living world. Time passes slower here, not that it really makes much difference. It’s not like anyone here has to worry about getting old. October is usually a busy month for us as well,” she closes her eyes momentarily deep in thought, “It’s probably closer to a couple of hours. The system prioritizes those who have come here by mistake… usually. I’ll check for you later if you want.”

“Thanks.”

I look around the room, inspecting my surroundings. This place kind of looks a bit like the Two Whales diner in Arcadia, at least a similar style anyway. The color scheme is mostly blue and jukebox sits in the corner, gently playing a tune I vaguely recognize. I close my eyes and let the music wash over me for a moment.

* * *

**_You’ve got blue blood on your hands, I know it’s my own._ **

**_You came to me in the middle of the night, to show me my soul._ **

**_Of all the people, I hoped it’d be you._ **

**_To come and free me, take me away, to show me my home._ **

**_Where I was born._ **

**_Where I belong…_ **

* * *

I open my eyes again and see there is a window. I glance outside of it, seeing a sight I hadn’t expected. A forest is visible through the glass, tall pine trees looming over the area as they gently sway in the mind, their leaves a multitude of colors. The stray leaves dance in the wind as the sunlight seeps through, illuminating the area in an orangey haze.

_I wasn’t expecting that. It’s a pleasant surprise. I’ll have to go investigate while I’m here._

A few kids run down the well-trodden path through the forest, decked out in scarves and hats chasing after one another while giggling and screaming in delight. Flowers burst into bloom as they run past, all different colors, blue and red being the most prominent. I feel a small smile tug at the corners of my lips as I watch them.

_At least they seem happy… considering._

I sigh deeply as the implications of their presence here hits me. When I turn back I catch Chloe staring at me with an expression on her face I hadn’t been expecting. She has her chin propped up on her hand, her eyes gentle and hold a flicker of something I can’t quite decipher as a serene smile forms on her face. She suddenly realizes that I’ve caught her staring and immediately blushes, turning her head away from me.

_Ok, this is kind of weird…_

The necklace hanging down from her neck gently sways as she turns away. I had noticed that she’s been fiddling it a lot, especially that middle bullet. It must mean something to her. I quickly change the subject to break the weird atmosphere, “So, what’s the deal with the necklace?”

She looks back to me, then down to her necklace, “Oh… that…” she takes the middle bullets in her fingers, rubbing it gently in between her finger and thumb, a distant look on her face. She is miles away in a different place and time. The bullet she is currently playing with is different from the others. The one on her right is a normal bullet. Another to her left is rusted, an orangey-red color as you would expect. The one in the middle is… different. It is rusted, however on closer inspection, there are veins of light blue on it that interconnect and glow slightly at her touch, “Well, you could call it a… perk of the job I guess,” she shifts in her seat to face me then leans forward, resting her head on her hands, “Long story shirt, I get the chance to bring three people back. Resurrect them.”

_Resurrect, huh?_

“So,” I begin, taking another sip of my coffee, “the two rusted ones you’ve used before, I take it.”

She smiles at me coyly, a mildly amused expression on her face, “I didn’t know you had been spending so much time looking at my boobs.”

I blush, stuttering at her sudden accusatory tone, “I… you… it…”

She chuckles, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes as she nudges my shoulder playfully, “I’m just fucking with you. You should have seen your face.”

I awkwardly take a sip of my coffee to hide my embarrassment as she grins at me.

_I wonder if I can ask her. Would it be too invasive? I guess she doesn’t have to answer if she doesn’t want to._

I clear my throat, gathering my thoughts, “Who did you resurrect?”

Her face drops at my question, her eyes melancholic as she worries her lip between her teeth. She sighs and begins to play with her necklace again, “The first I used when I was around thirteen to save my dad. He got involved in a car accident, but I saved him,” she looks conflicted for a moment before continuing, “The second was… was a girl. I hadn’t been at this gig very long, maybe a month or so. I was training for a hella long time, about five years. You can’t start officially until you are eighteen. I used to go with the last guy who was the grim reaper to learn. I think it must have been the second time I went to the Living world without anyone supervising me,” she picks up her cup and blows on her coffee, then dips the tip of her finger in the drink, testing the temperature. Deciding it is too hot, she places the cup back on the table, “Anyway, she got murdered by some creepy bastard near the junkyard. I saw it happen and managed to save her,” her brow furrows at the memory, “I couldn’t stand there and watch it happen. It was the first time I saw someone murdered in front of me. Usually, I go to the aftermath, but I’m not there during it, even then it’s bad enough. It was… horrible. I can still see it sometimes when I close my eyes,” her eyes close for a moment, then she shakes her head, “When someone dies, I get their memories. I get an instant replay type thing on death and also a DVD too.”

_Ok, she has to be bullshitting me._

“You’re kidding.”

She smiles and leans forward as if she is sharing a deep dark secret for the first time, “I can show you them later. They are mainly for the people who the memories belong to, you know, something for them to look back on or whatever they want to do with it. We can also use it to cross reference with our records if we need to. There is a huge archive downstairs. Some people also release their memories to the general public. You can sign a release form. Like I said, sometimes it can get busy and take a long time to pass onto the next stage, so it gives people something to do while they are waiting,” she goes to take a sip from her coffee.

“Do you know her name? The girl you saved.”

The cup pauses in mid-air before it reaches her lips. She puts it down and cracks her knuckles, “Yeah, I got it from her memories. Her name is Rachel Amber. She wanted to be a model and move to LA. She seemed to be pretty popular as well. She had just got caught up in some serious shit,” she takes a sip, her face crumpling up in disgust as she reaches over and deftly grabs a handful of sugar packets sat on the table, “Ugh, I still can’t stand straight coffee. So much for cutting down on sugar. You only live once… not that it really applies to me I guess,” she rips open a few packets, pouring the content into the cup and grabbing a spoon, stirring it vigorously. She brings the cup to her lips again and tentatively takes a sip. Seemingly satisfied she continues, her voice softer, “It was the one time I took a life without it being on the list. I got a real bollocking for it from my supervisor, but it was worth it. Everyone agreed that this guy was better off dead anyway, creepy fuck,” she mutter under her breath, then sighs, “I just had a shit ton of paperwork to sort out for it and I had double because of saving Rachel. The rest of my record is clean. I don’t regret it.”

_I would have done the same._

Chloe smiles reminiscently, “Back then I used to use my human form when I travelled to the Living world.”

_Wait… what is she talking about?_

“Human form?”

She nods, looking mildly amused at my surprise, “Yeah, I can transform into a blue butterfly. I’ll have to show you at some point, it’s hella cool. Everyone who had this job can. The guy before me, the one who trained me up, transforms into a doe,” her face lights up with the memory, her eyes alive and sparkling, “He always complained about it, saying he wanted to be something cool like a tiger or whatever. It wouldn’t have been practical of course. Can you imagine the pandemonium that would cause? A tiger prowling the streets whenever someone died,” her lip quirks upwards into a grin at the thought.

_Huh? I wouldn’t have thought they could be seen._

My brow furrows in confusion, “Wait, people can… see you? I thought you’d be invisible or something.”

Chloe roars with laughter and Kate glances over to our table, shaking her head and suppressing a smile as she goes back to cleaning the counter. A few other customers in the diner look over at Chloe, their expressions mildly annoyed, “What kind of budget do you think we are on? To keep costs low, we just use animal forms. No cloaks of invisibility I’m afraid,” she wipes the tears away from her eyes, trying to catch her breath, “Man, you guys crack me up sometimes,” she composes herself, clearing her throat, “You learn from the previous grim reaper how to do it. He took me out into the forest to practise. He made it look so easy and my thirteen year old self was bummed out when I couldn’t do it the first time. He chuckled and told me ‘nothing worth doing is ever easy, Chloe’,” she puts on a deep gentle voice when saying this, imitating her tutor, “I protested, telling him that I had failed and it was stupid. He waited for me patiently to calm down. I really was a firecracker, I kicked a lot of things that day, nearly broke my toe too. Not one of my finest moments. Anyway, when I had finished, he bent down, put a hand on my shoulder and said, ‘The only failure is giving up’,” she smiles fondly, twiddling a faded blue strand of hair around her finger, “Anyway, for all his complaints, I could tell he enjoyed it. He was very graceful in his doe form. I was so envious of how he could move. Sure, he had years of practise, but it was still impressive and beautiful to watch. I think he felt more at home in animal form to be honest. He said he felt ‘more himself’ as he put it.”

_I wonder what animal I would be._

I look at her inquisitively, “What about you?”

She looks up at me and I am able to finally see her eyes for the first time. They are a vibrant blue, but there are also flecks of gold and purple in them.

_I guess it must be a side effect of the whole grim reaper thing._

“What about me, what?” she tilts her head curiously to one side.

_Has she forgotten what we were talking about already?_

“Which do you prefer? Animal or human form?”

She thinks for a moment, stroking her chin in contemplation, “I’m cool with either. They really are two completely different experiences. If I had to choose, I guess human form as it’s the one that feels the most natural, I think. There isn’t a huge difference though,” she takes a straw and absentmindedly stirs her drink with it, “Initially I could go to the Living world as a human all the time, but the more time I spent here, the less tolerant my body became of the Living world. I get really weak when I go there in human form now so I don’t bother usually. Besides, flying is so much quicker than walking. You wouldn’t believe.”

_It must be nice just to be able to fly away from everything for a few moments._

She drains her coffee and slams the cup on the table, eliciting a shout from Kate, “Watch it, Chloe. You’ve already broken enough of my mugs.”

Chloe grins impishly, “Sorry, I’ll be more careful next time.”

Kate gives her a look of amusement, one eyebrow raised, “I’ve heard that one before.”

Chloe leans back in her chair and places her hands behind her head, closing her eyes.

_This is a lot to take in at once._

I finally turn my attention to my waffles, drowning them in syrup before digging in. They melt in my mouth, the waffle light and fluffy with the sweet taste of the syrup tickling my taste buds, “Mmmm…” I moan lightly as the taste overwhelms all my senses.

Chloe smirks at me smugly, “Enjoying those?”

I nod dreamily as I continue to eat, “You bet.”

Chloe looks over her shoulder at Kate, “Yo, Kate. The waffles are going down a treat.”

She sticks her thumb up and then continues to wash the used plates and cups.

“How did you even become the grim reaper exactly?” I ask, my curiosity finally getting the better of me.

Chloe opens her eyes, leans forward and taps my nose, giving me a lop-sided grin, “That is confidential information I’m afraid, my dear Max. Trust me, I did not see myself doing this. I wanted to be a rock star, a pirate or a tattoo artist,” she chuckles to herself, “Kids can be so cute, huh?”

She rolls up the sleeve of her jacket and holds out her right arm, “Here.”

I can see the colorful tattoo from earlier much more clearly now. A skull adorned with a red flower sits near the middle of her arm, vines and a red ribbon twists along the length of her arm, blue butterflies settle at the top, “They use tattoos as a contract. Something that marks your skin for eternity, fully binding. They don’t do it until you’re eighteen, that’s the official starting date of the contract. They let you choose the design, you can even create it yourself if you want. That’s how this baby came to be. So, I guess I kind of got my dream job.”

She stands up abruptly, “Do you want a guided tour?”

_She will do anything to get out of cleaning._

“Don’t you need to sort out your office?”

She shrugs, “I can make time. It’s not like I’m in a rush. I’m my own boss so as long as things get done, it’s all good. Besides, I need to stretch my legs. So…” she holds out her hand to me, offering me a charming smile, “Could I possibly steal you away for a few moments?”

I take her hand, “Sure.”

She gives my hand a gentle squeeze, “That’s the spirit. Keep close to me. We wouldn’t want you getting lost now, would we?” she turns to Kate, “Put the food on my tab.”

Kate nods at her, “Gotcha.”

With that, Chloe leads me out of the room by the hand. I smile at her puppy like excitement as she all but drags me down the long hallway.

_Something tells me that this is going to be fun._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Kate has made an appearance in this chapter. I can’t very well not have her, or Victoria. I hope you enjoyed that. I shall see you next time. Stay safe out there.


	3. Guide Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For now, Max is stuck between the worlds of Life and Death. While waiting for everything to be sorted out, Chloe gives her a guided tour of the Grim Reaper facility.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year guys! Come on 2016, be a good year for us all. I hope you’re doing good today. Here is the next chapter.  
> Enjoy

**Chapter Three: Guide Me**

As we make our way down the long hallway I take the time to examine it more closely. Doors lead off from it, each a different color. The floor is made up of pale wooden planks and on the wall beside each colored door are paintings of various animals, twelve in total. In order from the far end they are dog, rabbit, cat, eagle, dragonfly, fox, mouse, hummingbird, hedgehog, squirrel, doe and lastly a blue butterfly, which is next to Chloe’s blue office door. The detail of them is incredible, they look almost alive and I swear I can see them moving. As we pass each one, they morph and shift into humans then back to animals once again.

Chloe motions to the wall, “This is the wall of fame. You can see every grim reaper there has ever been here and the animal they turn into. Everyone has a different animal from the ones proceeding them. They still live here but are retired, these doors lead to their rooms. Before there were usually two or three grim reapers at a time to spread the work load. Now, because of budget cuts, the past few have been working on their own, like me.”

I run my fingertips gently along the wall, each picture glowing with a different color as it is touched. We reach the doe on the left hand side next to a dark green door, small lines of green illuminating the picture as I touch it. It begins to transform into a man with short blonde hair and a beard. He looks to be in his mid-twenties and has a small tattoo of a doe drinking from a small pool of water in a forest clearing on the right side of his pale neck. He grins at us benevolently, his warm brown eyes sparkling.

Chloe stops in front of it, turning to me and jabbing with her thumb at the picture, “This was the guy before me, if you haven’t guessed by the doe,” she points to the tattoo on his neck,” It’s been a tradition to put your animal in the tattoo, hence the little doe there and my butterflies,” she moves closer to the wall, gently brushing her fingertips against it as she stares at the man, “His name’s Randi. I called him Rudolph, you know like the reindeer. I was such a little shit when I was thirteen, always looking for ways to cause trouble. One day, it must have been around Christmas time, I remember using permanent marker on his nose while he was asleep, so he’d have a red nose when he transformed. It didn’t come off for about a week,” she chuckles to herself, “He never shouted at me or anything though. He took it in his stride and wore antlers all week. He laughed about it and said he would get me back some day,” her eyes light up with the memory and a fond smile forms on her face.

I look away from the wall and over to her, “Has he?”

She turns her head towards me, breaking out of her trance, “Oh yes,” she puts her hands behind her head, “I’d say we were even. We had to call a truce before the whole building got destroyed. We’re both very stubborn. I think he’d like you. You guys seem pretty similar, at least so far. Maybe you can meet him at some point,” she looks down at the floor and mutters something that sounds like, “He’s the only family I really have now”.

_What does she mean by that?_

Before I have a chance to question her further, she abruptly turns towards the door at the end of the corridor, “Anyway, let’s keep going. We haven’t got all day and there is a pile of paperwork with my name on it.”

_A question for another time. She is shrouded in so much mystery, seeming to avoid certain topics. Hopefully she’ll tell me at some point._

“Not so fast, Price,” a stern voice calls from behind us. I turn sharply to see a tall woman with short blonde hair and piercing brown eyes. She has a ‘don’t mess with me’ expression on her face. She wears a black skirt with a red cardigan type thing and a yellow collar, black tights and shoes, a pearl necklace, gold bracelet and watch as well as red glasses. She narrows her eyes at Chloe, placing a hand on her hip, “Finally I tracked you down, Price. Where have you been? You haven’t reported back today.”

Chloe looks around desperately for a way to escape, however comes up blank. She rolls her eyes and turns around to face the blonde haired woman, “Get off my crack, Victoria. I was getting there. I don’t need a baby sitter.”

Victoria sighs, shaking her head and closing her eyes momentarily, “I beg to differ,” she approaches us, regarding me with a look dripping with contempt and crosses her arms, “Oh, so you were skiving off with some girl instead of doing your duties, I see.”

Chloe sticks her tongue out and throws her arm around me, pulling me closer to her. The oddly soothing scent of cigarettes and coffee lingers on her clothing, “Just because I’m the one who can bag all the hot babes, doesn’t mean you should hate me for it. Someone’s jealous.”

_Normally, I’m not a really touchy feely person, but for some reason when Chloe does it, I don’t mind._

Victoria rolls her eyes and scoffs, “Hardly.”

Chloe’s lip quirks upwards into a taunting lop-sided grin, her eyes carrying a glint of mischief, “Oh yeah, I forgot you and Marshmallow are-”

“Don’t. Whatever you were about to say, just don’t,” Victoria interrupts, glaring at her icily.

_If looks could kill…_

Chloe scoffs, shoving her hands in her pockets, “Oh come on. It’s hella obvious you guys like each other,” her tone becomes teasing, “When you gonna seal the deal?”

Victoria grits her teeth, her jaw clenching tightly and her composure slipping as she snarls, “We are going to drop this right now.”

Chloe holds up her hands defensively, “Alright, don’t get your rage on.”

Victoria rolls her eyes and runs a hand through her immaculate hair, causing it to become slightly dishevelled, then pushes her glasses up her nose, “You think I like playing the bad guy? Someone’s got to get everyone into shape. We have a lot to do and maybe if everyone did what they were supposed to instead of mercilessly teasing me then it would make my life a lot easier.”

Chloe shrugs, “Hey, don’t look at me. I’m on top of everything.”

Victoria crosses her arms, looking unconvinced, “Really, because when I popped my head round your office door I saw a huge pile of unfinished paperwork.”

Chloe dismissively waves away her concerns, “It’s ok, Kate said she’d help later.”

Victoria’s eyes harden as she draws herself to her fullest height and squares Chloe up, her brow furrowing in anger, “No fucking way. She’s going to be coming with me. You’ll have to find someone else.”

Chloe raises an eyebrow in confusion, “She said she was free.”

Victoria looks away slightly, a blush forming on her cheeks as she reaches up and plays with her hair, her voice is hesitant, “I-I’m surprising her.”

Chloe grins manically and launches herself at Victoria, who immediately begins to squirm as she tries to escape Chloe’s grasp unsuccessfully, “Have we finally accepted our obvious feelings, huh? Going on a date to confess your undying love?”

Victoria scowls as Chloe gently ruffles her hair, trying to sound assertive and confident, but her voice fails her, “Sh-shut up. It’s not like that.”

Chloe’s eyes sparkle with amusement, the purple and gold specks becoming more prominent amidst the sea of vibrant blue. A very slight translucent blue glow forms on the surface the pale skin of her neck, cast from small interconnecting lines I hadn’t really noticed before. They continue down and disappear under her clothing.

_I wonder if there are everywhere. Does it react to her emotions? Or are there other factors affecting them?_

She grins smugly, exposing her off white teeth, one of her strawberry blonde eyebrows raising skeptically, “Sure. If you say so.”

Victoria’s face transforms from one of annoyance to one of defeat and she shakes her head. There are dark circles underneath her eyes. She has tried to cover them up, but if you look hard enough you can see them.

_Does anyone round here actually get any sleep? Not that I can judge._

“I could help,” I suggest.

Victoria turns her attention to me, pausing for a moment as she considers her options. A troubled expression crosses her face then she closes her eyes and rubs her temples, “This is breaking at least five different rules… but fine. We are really understaffed. There really should be several grim reapers at the same time, but we can’t afford that. Chloe’s been doing the work of about three people on her own,” she sighs, her eyes exposing the instant regret she is feeling agreeing to this plan, “If you are going to do this, please do it properly. Usually you need training, but things are desperate here. Maybe you can keep Chloe in line. Thanks,” with that, she turns away and strides off in the direction of the café.

Chloe turns her head towards me, a knowing look on her face as she mutters to herself, “They are so going on a date. I fucking knew it. Nothing escapes my notice here. I’ll have to grill them later for all the juicy details,” she turns to me again, “Come on then,” her hand brushes mine lightly as she walks past and I swear I can feel her pinkie finger curl around mine for a second, but before I have the chance to register it properly she is ahead of me. My heart races and I feel a warmth on my cheeks from the unexpected contact.

_I’m sure it was just an accident. Why am I getting so flustered? Get it together, Max._

She glances behind her shoulder at me, “You coming?”

I take a deep calming breath and follow her down the corridor, “So what’s the deal with Kate and Victoria?”

Chloe moves her head towards me, “Kate’s the one who looks after us all. When I’m holed up in my office for a few hours, she comes round and gives me some food and a coffee to keep me going. If not for her, I would be a complete mess,” she slows her pace so I can catch up, “Victoria is a force to be reckoned with. They employed her to keep everyone in check and to make sure this whole gig runs smoothly. She has a hell of a job, but she manages it. I don’t envy her,” she chuckles heartily, “Oh yeah, and they totally have a thing for each other. Victoria always becomes nicer and smiles a lot more while Kate gets all flustered and starts breaking everything she comes into contact with when they are together. It’s hella cute. You’ll see soon enough.”

She opens the double doors in front of us and we enter a small room. About ten people sit at desks and are furiously typing away at computers. A blonde haired woman wearing a grey suit walks up to us, “Chloe, to what do we owe the pleasure?”

“Hey Juliet, just passing through,” she motions her head towards me, “Got a tour going on at the minute.”

She raises an eyebrow, “That’s strange, you don’t usually…” Chloe covers Juliet’s mouth with her hand, laughs nervously, pulls her over to one side by the arm and they begin muttering amongst themselves.

_This is kind of weird._

After a few moments they walk back over to me and Juliet smiles at me, “Enjoy the tour,” Juliet smirks suggestively at Chloe, then goes back over to her desk and continues to work. The moment she sits down, someone comes over to her desk and they start chattering away.

Chloe sighs in relief, then clears her throat, “Anyway, on we go.”

We continue on down some steps and enter a larger basement like room. Chloe flicks on a light, illuminating the room and exposing metal drawers and shelves lining the walls all filled with labelled plastic cases. I stroll over to one of the drawers and open it to find it jam packed with thin plastic DVD sleeves. I take one of the sleeves from the top and inspect it. It’s a plain disc, but has some letters and numbers on it.

**SJRA1901201020**

“Here is the archive I was telling you about,” she motions towards the drawers and shelves, as well as several piles of homeless cases scattered around the room, “We’re trying to convert them all to electronic copies at the minute, but it’s a big job as you can see,” she comes up behind me, leaning against my back as she points at the writing on the disk, “The letters relate to the person and the numbers are the date and age. We can’t fit someone’s whole life onto one disc usually. Sometimes we condense them, like a highlights reel, but we still need a full version too.”

_It’s kind of hard to concentrate on what she is saying as she’s leaning against me. I had imagined Death to feel cold and suffocating, but instead she feels warm and soothing._

My cheeks heat up as she continues to press her body against mine, her head now resting on my shoulder and her breath tickles my neck. She has her eyes closed and a serene expression on her face as her hands grasp tightly on to my shoulders. We stay like this for a few moments, her breathing becoming slower and steadier with each passing second.

_Has she has fallen asleep. Do I just stand here?_

This close, I can see the dark circles under her eyes, even more prominent than Victoria’s.

_She must have had at least a few sleepless nights._

A small beeping penetrates the air, causing her bleary eyes to open abruptly. She looks at the weird contraption on her wrist and taps a few buttons, silencing the persistent sound. She sighs deeply and untangles herself from me. I become very aware of the sudden loss of her warm subtle weight on my back. I nearly reach out to bring her back, but stop myself in time.

She stretches and yawns, rubbing at her eyes, “Sorry about that. We might have to cut the tour short. I need to get that work done before I fall asleep. To be fair, there is only one more place other than outside that’s worth going to, but it’ll take a while. The rest are just people’s offices and waiting rooms. We can continue it another day. Is that ok? I promise it’ll be worth it.”

I nod, trying not to let her see my face. It must be so red right now.

_Why am I getting so worked up?_

“Great,” she grins, “You still up for helping with paperwork?”

* * *

We sit in Chloe’s office sorting through the mountain of paperwork scattered around her room. I’ve lost track of the time, but we’ve been at it for a while if my slowly deteriorating concentration is anything to go by. We spent most of the time locating and gathering the papers together ready for sorting. Chloe had thrown the paperwork everywhere, in drawers, in her pockets, in books… there was even some stuffed into an old shoe. The rest of the time was used to order and fill out the various forms.

Chloe leans back in her chair and lets out an exhausted sigh, stretching her arms in the air and shifting in her chair, “I can’t wait for all this to be done.”

_You and me both._

I grab a crumpled up form and place it in the correct pile, “How many weeks’ worth of paper work is this?”

She shrugs, “Maybe a week or so.”

_It must be more than that._

“A week… or so?”

Chloe sighs, “Fine, maybe two weeks. It’s hard getting it all done, that’s why it takes so long to do anything around here. Plus, I always put it off until the last minute.”

“I hadn’t guessed.”

Chloe stares at me defiantly and pouts at my accusatory tone, “I’m sure you’re no better.”

_She does happen to be right there._

I grab a pile and start to sort through it as a silence hangs in the air. Chloe reaches over and takes one of the papers, “So… you live in Arcadia Bay, right?”

I look up from my pile and nod, “Yep, but my family only just moved back recently. We moved to Seattle when I was around thirteen. My dad thought he could find a better job. I moved back just recently to attend Blackwell Academy to study photography.”

Her eyes light up ever so slightly, the gold and purple hints sparkling, “You’re a photographer?”

_That’s the plan._

“I’m trying.”

She rests her chin on her hand, looking at me inquisitively, “Do you have a photo on you?”

_That is a good question._

I search my bag, finding my camera and my journal. I scan the pages and take out a few photos, one of them being a selfie of course. The others are of a squirrel eating a donut, the sunset at the lighthouse and a small doe in the forest at dusk. I pass them over to her and she begins to shuffle through them, stopping at my selfie. She stares at it intently, examining every part of it.

_It’s kind of embarrassing to show. I bet she thinks it’s pretty lame._

The corner of her lips move upwards into a slight smile as she gazes at the photo, seemingly to be a million miles away, “You look… happy here.”

_I took that one of the first days I came back to Arcadia. I was so thrilled to be back after so long. We hadn’t even visited since we left. I went straight to my old stomping ground, the forest, to take photos._

I glance out of the small window in Chloe’s office, “Yeah, I missed Arcadia.”

Chloe looks up from the photo, her eyes hard to read and her face stoic, “Any reason in particular?”

_Now that is a question. I’m not sure myself. Maybe it’s because I spent my childhood there._

“It just felt…” I pause, trying to think of a way to articulate it, “right being back. I can’t really explain it.”

A heavy silence fills the air for a moment. Chloe places the photos gently back on her desk and continues to shuffle through the papers, scribbling on them every so often. She glances up at me, “At least you’re back now, right? Well, you will be soon after this little mess is sorted out.”

_Even after going back, something still didn’t feel right._

I sigh, playing with the bands on my wrist, “There is something still not quite… right. It feels like something is missing, but I can’t put my finger on it.”

Chloe pauses for a few second, sighing as she puts the piece of paper she is holding back on the desk. She brushes a strand of stray hair from her eyes, which have become duller than before, the gold and purple lost in a deeper and darker shade of blue. She stares out of the small window in her office, her head leaning on her hands, “Maybe it’s because you’re an adult now. Places feel different when you re-visit them. They lose their air of magic and mystery. The small stream you used to imagine was a vast sea, where you could steer a ship to foreign lands and find the most valuable treasures… suddenly doesn’t seem as big as it once used to,” her voice has become very quiet.

I bite my lip, worrying it between my teeth, “Maybe…”

_It feels like more than that. I should think about it some more, try to decipher this strange feeling. Also to try and work out how I got here._

Chloe clears her throat and turns back to me, “Anyway, you **_are_** a photographer. This picture is pretty good. You shouldn’t discredit yourself. I’d love to see any you take, if that’s ok with you?”

I offer her a small smile, “I’d like that.”

I gather the photos together and shove them in my bag as Chloe cracks her knuckles, “Wow. I can’t believe we got through that. Thanks for the help.”

“No worries.”

She gets up and throws her jacket back on, “I think I owe you food as a sign of my gratitude.”

_As nice as food sounds, I don’t want her to pay._

“You don’t have to d-”

She places a finger on my lips and gazes deeply into my eyes, “I insist,” her eyes so much brighter than before.

_They are so pretty. I would love to take a picture of them right now, but that would be kind of weird. It feels as if they are gently probing into my soul, coaxing out my secrets and deepest desires. I could so easily lose myself in them._

I have a sudden urge to place my hand on her cheek, pull her close to me and…

_Ok, Max. Let’s keep those weird thoughts to a minimum._

I close my eyes momentarily, “When you put it like that, how can I refuse?”

She grins mischievously at me as she grabs hold of my arm, “Well, what are we still doing here then?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Victoria. We are finally starting to get to the main part of the story. We’ve met the important players and explored a bit. We can start moving towards Pricefield. Yay! I’m so excited for some of the chapter ideas I have planned. I really can’t wait to write them and share. Have a great day and see you next time.


	4. Beautiful Blue-Haired Babe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max and Chloe have a chat over some Chinese takeout in the forest outside the facility. They aren’t the only ones hanging out there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello one and all. I’m finally back. Yay! Sorry for the delay. I’ve just come back to Uni very recently and I was trying to get my shit together.  
> Enjoy

**Chapter Four: Beautiful Blue-Haired Babe**

Chloe opens a drawer and shuffles around, producing a few leaflets and spreads them out on the now paper free desk.

_I bet it won’t last. Should I take bets on how long?_

“We can order take-out,” she mentions as she pushes the menus towards me.

I pick up one of the menus from the desk and look at it curiously, seeing that it’s one for Chinese take-out, “There is take-out here?”

Chloe laughs at my shock, “Yeah. Why wouldn’t there be? You guys really know nothing of this place. I hate to break it to you, but pretty much everything you’ve heard is wrong. I mean, I bet you weren’t expecting Death to be a beautiful blue-haired babe were you?” she raises an eyebrow suggestively.

_It just goes to show how far wrong our ideas can be and how many misconceptions we can have._

“I… guess not,” I mutter, a bit embarrassed at my question.

Chloe continues to chuckle to herself, “Besides, I wouldn’t have survived otherwise. We can go eat and explore outside for a bit. I think I’ve seen enough of this office for a few lifetimes over. Kate and Victoria will be going on their ‘totally not a date’ date, so the café will be closed,” she picks up another well-worn menu and flicks through it.

_I have a feeling that she has probably memorized every single menu she owns._

She glances at me, an amused glint in her deep blue eyes, “Any preference?”

* * *

Chloe and I are sat on a worn wooden bench outside in the forest as we eat. We decided on Chinese take-out after much deliberation. I initially tried eating with chopsticks, but just ended up making a mess much to Chloe’s amusement, so I gave up. Chloe places her now-empty container on the floor by her feet and leans back in the bench, closing her eyes, “Man I am stuffed,” she sighs contently.

I take this opportunity to really look at her. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was human like me and not just from her looks, but also her mannerisms, the way she speaks and pretty much in every other aspect as well.

_It’s hard to imagine that she is actually Death. I mean sure, I knew that Death probably wouldn’t be exactly the same as we have been told, but still… she seems so… human. What is her story?_

When I come back out of my thoughts, I see her staring back at me with an amused smirk. I quickly look away from her, blushing hard.

_Shit! There is no way she didn’t see me staring at her. So embarrassing._

I can only look away for a few moments before I am pulled back in again. I glance back over to her and see her smirking, then focus my gaze on the night sky in a desperate attempt to hide my embarrassment.

_I really have no social grace._

Small glowing insects hover around us. I reach out to touch one, but it darts away from my hand. Bright stars scatter the midnight blue sky as the moon casts a dim glow down on around us. I feel something nudge my foot and look down to see Chloe’s boot gently tapping my black converse. She focuses on my foot, playing with it carefully yet firmly.

“You know,” she sighs, her voice low and vulnerable, “it’s… been a while since I’ve actually had a chat with someone who wasn’t an employee of this place.”

_So many people must pass through this place, but I bet a lot are in no state to talk. I’m surprised I was able to if I’m honest. Talking isn’t usually my strong point at the best of times, especially with strangers. Chloe is… different for some reason._

I turn my head towards her, shuffling on the bench to get a better look at her, “Really?”

She nods, cracking her neck and rolling her shoulders and continues to wiggle my foot around, “Yeah. Firstly, I’ve been hella busy. Secondly, I haven’t really found anyone worth talking to. Most people avoid me. I get why, me being Death and all. It’s unnerving and a lot of people resent me,” her tone is melancholic as she looks down at the floor.

_I don’t like it when she is sad like this. It breaks my heart to see her downcast eyes and defeated expression._

I tap her foot back to get her attention and she snaps her head back up, looking at me with her expressive eyes as I gently question, “Resent you?”

She shifts on the bench, “Yeah. I brought them here. I took them away from their loved ones.”

I shuffle closer to her, putting my hand on her shoulder and gazing deeply into her eyes, which have now become so dark, the hints of purple and gold long gone.

_It must be predominantly connected to her emotions. When she is happy, her eyes are vibrant and sparkle, when she is sad… they are like this. What can I say to make them bright again?_

I shake my head and confidently declare, “That wasn’t you. You didn’t kill them.”

She sighs and offers me a sad smile, her eyes brightening up slightly at my words, “I know, but it sure as hell feels like it sometimes. It’s hard not to when your job title is ‘Death’,” she nudges my foot again, “They are scared of me… of what I can do. They don’t understand, so they are scared. That’s how it works, right? I can see it in their eyes. I get why, but very few people actually bother to talk to me, to see if their ideas are true,” she closes her eyes momentarily as she sighs, “I have received a few death threats as ironic as that sounds.”

_I didn’t realize people would still be so horrible. I guess not much changes in life or death. You still get the same assholes…_

“Are you cereal?” my voice echoes around the otherwise silent forest.

Chloe’s eyes widen in shock at my sudden outburst, then roars with laughter, “Cereal? Man, haven’t heard that one in a while,” she playfully punches my shoulder, “You really are a huge dork.”

_At least that got her smiling again._

She takes a deep breath, composing herself, “Yeah, not that they can do anything about it. Victoria tears into the ones who act like that. I think they end up being more scared of her than me, at least by the time she has finished with them. They call her ‘Demon’. I think one guy called her the Devil once… that did not go down well at all. One does not fuck with Victoria Chase and get out alive… well, you know what I mean,” she scratches her cheek, “Then Marshmallow, that’s Kate, is so different she is called ‘Angel’. They really are opposites, at least on the surface. When you actually get talking with them, you see that they aren’t so different really,” the sadness returns, her voice soft as she mumbles, “anyway someone has to do this gig at the end of the day and certain debts have to be repaid...”

_Debts? I feel like there is a lot more to her story than meets the eye. I wonder if she will ever be able to tell me how she became the Grim Reaper. It’s obviously a painful memory for her. Why? I guess I won’t force the issue._

She sighs and turns to me, her eyes brighter, “So, tell me a bit more about yourself,” she cocks her head to the side slightly with a curious expression.

I’m not sure why she’s so keen to find out about me. My life isn’t really all that exciting or anything by anyone’s standards, “Well, I’m Max Caulfield, as you already know. I’m eighteen and I grew up in Arcadia Bay. When I was about thirteen my parents and I moved to Seattle. I recently moved back to Arcadia to attend Blackwell Academy to study photography. The only thing I treasure as much as my camera is my guitar, not that I can play amazingly well.”

Chloe shakes her head at this and closes her eyes, her voice gentle, “I bet you’re just being modest. I’d love to hear sometime.”

I lean back in the bench, my fingers absentmindedly grazing the small indentations and grooves of the wood left by those who have passed through, their words immortalized for eternity. Tales of great pain, love and life all overflow into one another.

_It seems like we have to make our mark on the world, have to be remembered so we leave our legacies… however trivial. Do we hope that these words will resonate with someone? That they will remember them and carry a part of us with them? Do we just fear being forgotten in time?_

_Is that why we are so willing to abandon our individuality in favor of popularity? Betray ourselves and everything we hold dear…_

I stare out over the forest, the trees swaying gently in the wind, their leaves twirling and swirling. The pale moonlight reflects in a clear stream below us, a small tawny doe drinking from it. I watch with curiosity as Chloe waves over at the doe. To my surprise, it gracefully makes its way over to us, darting in and out of the trees with graceful leaps. It really is a delight to watch. Before my eyes, it transforms into a tall man with blonde hair, the spitting image of the portrait I saw in the corridor beside the green door. I nearly fall off the bench from the sudden shock, Chloe thankfully pulling me back at the last minute.

“W-wowser,” I stutter.

The man chuckles heartily at my reaction, his voice booming and gruff, “I’ll guess it’s your first time here.”

Chloe stands up from the bench and holds her arms out. The man embraces her, a wide toothy grin on his face, “How’s it going little one?”

She scoffs, “I’m hardly little anymore.”

The man ruffles Chloe’s hair and chuckles as she swats at his hand, “You always will be to me.”

Chloe turns back to me and jabs her thumb in the man’s direction, “This here is Randi. He does love to show off.”

He smirks, “And why shouldn’t I? I just can’t help myself in the presence of a beautiful woman,” he winks at me, his brown eyes sparkling with amusement, “What is your name, my dear?”

“My name’s Max, sir.”

Randi’s expression chances to one of interest as he glances over at Chloe. They seem to have a mini non-verbal conversation with one another.

_There seems to be a lot of that recently. What am I missing?_

After a moment, he turns and beams at me, “No need for ‘sir’ Max… unless you want to of course,” he strokes his short beard in contemplation, then smirks, “I can think of a few instances where this would be a favorable term.”

Chloe shoves him, “Knock it off. You’re so embarrassing.”

He offers her a teasing smile, “Afraid I’ll steal Max away from you?” he grins at me, “Do you see that Max? Chloe is jealous.”

Chloe shakes her head and sighs, “This is precisely why I was dreading you guys meeting. Plus, I think you stealing Max away is the least of my problems.”

Randi hugs Chloe closer as she struggles against his hold, “Oh baby girl. Don’t pout. Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.”

Chloe rolls her eyes, “Yeah right.”

He feigns a wounded expression, “Ouch, that hurt. There will be consequences to your harsh words,” he grins as he squeezes her harder.

_I have only seen the composed side of her before. Now I get to see her less guarded side. It’s nice. It’s always better to see someone’s true personality._

“Get off me,” she whines, her childish tone causing me to giggle.

He strokes her hair, “Now, now. You love it really. Am I ruining your street cred? Everyone loves a bad girl with a kind heart. Right, Max?”

Chloe manages to wriggle from his clutches, “Don’t answer him. You will only fuel his tormenting.”

He takes a moment to really examine me, his eyebrow raises slightly, “It isn’t very often I get to meet another doe.”

_I guess that answers my question from before._

Chloe’s eyes show sudden realization, “So that why I thought you guys were so similar.”

He shakes his head, suppressing a smile as he taps her on the nose, “Someone obviously didn’t pay attention in her training,” she sticks her tongue out at him as he takes a deep breath and turns back to me, “Anyway, I won’t cramp Chloe’s style anymore. It was an absolute pleasure to meet you, Max. I hope I get the chance to speak with you properly soon.”

“It was nice to meet you too, Randi.”

He grins at me charmingly, “Well, aren’t you a delight. I would hold onto this one, Chloe. They don’t come like this often. If you don’t, I will,” he calls back cheekily as he runs off and jumps, changing mid-air into his doe form and disappearing back into the night.

“Show-off!” Chloe shouts after him, then shakes her head, “He’s like a tornado, gone in a minute, but leaving a trail of destruction wherever he goes. So embarrassing,” she mumbles to herself as she sits back down on the bench, “Anyway, what were we talking about? Oh yeah, you should totally show me your mad guitar hero skills.”

_I haven’t really played in front of anyone before. In fact, the very prospect is a bit daunting. But if Chloe really wants to hear…_

“Maybe that could be arranged,” I casually mention, glancing back out over to the forest once more.

_This place really isn’t too different from the world of the Living, just less rushed. You can really take the time to relax and enjoy everything. There is no expiry date to work against. It puts everything in perspective, even though for most people it’s too late._

“I can’t really think of anything else of importance to tell you about me. I have a pretty boring life,” I admit.

Chloe places her hands behind her head and leans back further in the bench, “It sounds fun to me. Nothing more exciting than doing what you love.”

_I wonder what she loves…_

“What is it you love?”

She looks taken aback by the question, “What?”

I repeat myself with more conviction this time, “What do you love?”

Her eyes seem to be trying to tell me something, secret she seems desperate to divulge, but something is holding her back. Her mouth opens as if she is about to tell me, then immediately closes again as she stands up abruptly.

_It’s obviously a sensitive topic for her. I shouldn’t push it. Who knows what she has had to endure, what scars she has acquired…_

“Captain Chloe…” a voice from behind us calls out. I turn to see two young girls standing there that I recognize from the forest earlier. They beam up at Chloe and tug on her sleeve, “Come play pirates with us. You promised you would,” they insist.

Chloe’s face lights up once more as she puts on an over the top pirate accent, “Argh, I’ll be right with ye landlubbers,” the girls squeal in delight and run off into the forest. Chloe smiles and holds out her hand towards me, “You coming?”

I take it and she pulls me up, “Duh. I’ll have you know I am a notorious pirate in Arcadia.”

A flash of sadness flickers across her eyes for a fleeting moment, but it is soon gone as she playfully punches my arm and flashes me a mischievous grin, “I bet. Let’s put your money where your mouth is.”

_What was all that about?_

She grabs hold of my hand and drags me along, her grip firm. As we approach the girls, Chloe points her thumb over to me, “This is my first mate, Max the Marauder.”

The girls grin at me, “Hey.”

_They are so damn cute._

They motion us closer, Chloe and I bending down as they whisper to one another, “We need to find the legendary treasure that is being held captive by Victoria the Vanquisher.”

Chloe leans over to me, her hand covering her mouth, “Victoria has sweets she gives them sometimes, although if you confronted her about it she would deny it. She hides them so no-one finds out. The kids always try to find out where she has hidden them. You know what kids are like with sweets.”

The girls stare inquisitively at Chloe, “What are the orders, Captain Chloe?”

Chloe strokes her chin and speaks in her best pirate voice, “I say ye loot and pillage the nearby village.”

The two girls clap and jump up and down excitedly, “Aye aye.”

They run over to a small wooden ship that sits in a playground area and disappear underneath it, coming back with a variety of plastic swords and eyepatches. The girls pass Chloe a black hat with a skull and cross bones on it, which she puts on. She grabs a sword and telescope from the pile. The girls hand me an eyepatch, red bandana, a hook and plastic pistol. They then sort out the rest among themselves.

Chloe stands on the front of the ship and takes out her telescope, looking out into the distance, “Alright ye scallywags, there’s a storm coming. Prepare ye selves.”

The girls run to the side of the ship and cling on to the side. Chloe rushes over to the wheel and struggles to keep control. She turns to face me and winks, “Max, I need ye to come give me a hand… or a hook.”

“Aye aye, Captain Chloe,” I run over and help her get the wheel under control.

“Prepare for landing,” she shouts out as we stumble around. The girls cling on tighter to the side with all their might. Chloe suddenly stands up straight once more, looking out over the forest, “Here we be,” she produces a map from her pocket that shows where all the offices are. She has marked a huge red X on what appears to be Victoria’s office. The girls run over excitedly as Chloe bends down, “Now. Listen well. Here lies the treasure ye search for,” he points at the huge X on the map, “Be ye wary of the monsters that may get in ye way,” the girls nod eagerly as Chloe passes them the map, “Max and I have our own mission to undertake. It falls to ye two scallywags. Good luck.”

The girls jump off the ship and run back over to the inside of the building. Chloe chuckles as she takes her pirate dress up items off and motions for me to relinquish mine. She crouches down underneath the ship and packs them away in a small cardboard treasure chest, then comes back out and perches herself on the edge of the ship. I join her as she swings her feet and sighs, “It’s hard for these guys. They are here on their own usually.”

I reach out and place my hand on her shoulder, “They have you.”

Chloe looks up and offers me a small smile, “They’re the only ones who are never afraid. They think it’s cool, like Halloween I guess,” she gently kicks the ground with her feet, sand flies into the air and is carried off by the wind, “I try to keep them entertained where possible. They really do demand a lot of attention. Sometimes they run into my office and drag me out, not that I mind one bit. Anything to get out of work and I really do enjoy just being a kid again,” she smiles fondly, “They do also love pestering Victoria, something they share in common with me. She acts like it’s a big chore, but she loves it. When I look out of the window, I see her smiling with them. She’s not as hard as she acts. Kate is amazing with them as well. They really do adore her, but then who doesn’t?”

Chloe suddenly stands up and runs off.

“Chloe!” I shout after her giving chase.

_She is so unpredictable. You just think you have sussed her out and then she changes. Maybe she is just coming into her own now. Maybe she is more comfortable around me, less guarded._

She looks over her shoulder as she runs, “Come catch me, Max!”

_She really is a big kid. No wonder they like playing with her so much._

The fallen leaves crunch under my heavy foot fall as I run after her. She suddenly disappears from my sight in the darkness. I stop abruptly, panting lightly as I scan the forest.

_Where has she gone?_

I tip toe around, peering carefully behind trees.

“Booyah!” I feel arms encircle me as I am lifted into the air.

“Chloe!” I squeal as she spins me around laughing all the while. She twirls faster and faster until she eventually loses her balance and we fall onto the forest floor in an undignified heap, our fall softened by the fallen leaves. Chloe manages to untangle herself and leans on her hands above me, her bullet necklace dangling down, the blue lines glowing on the middle bullet. She smirks at me victoriously, “I win.”

Instinctively, I reach up and take the middle bullet in my fingers. As I do, it glows even more intensely and pulses in my fingers as if it is alive.

* * *

**_"...ax… Max… please…"_ **

* * *

Distressed echoed whispers swim around in my mind. I shake my head, looking up at Chloe with a confused expression, “Did you say something?”

Chloe stares down at me, raising an eyebrow, “Nope. You ok? You look pale,” she asks as she moves to let me sit up.

_That was weird._

I rub my face with my hand, “Y-yeah.”

Her brow furrows with concern as she stares at me. I absentmindedly reach out and touch her cheek, “I’m fine.”

Chloe’s eyes widen in shock at the sudden contact, her eyebrows raise and her mouth agape. I suddenly realize what I’m doing.

_Shit!_

“S-sorry… I…” I stutter as I go to recoil my hand, but am stopped when Chloe places her hand over mine. She opens her eyes, the gold and purple specks glowing brighter than I have ever seen them before as she smiles warmly at me, “Today has been great. I don’t remember the last time I actually had fun. Thanks for putting up with me.”

My words get caught in my suddenly dry throat as my heart races, feeling as if it will explode out of my chest at any moment. Her intense gaze pins me to the spot, those eyes that feel so familiar, yet unknown at the same time.

_This moment feels weirdly… intimate. Maybe I’m just over-thinking everything as per usual. I’m not really sure how I feel at this moment. It’s weird. Nothing I have ever experienced before._

After a tense few moments, Chloe suddenly pulls away, taking her hand off mine and gets up off the floor. She clears her throat, a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks, “We should… get going.”

_She always seems to restrain herself for some reason. On occasions like these, she lets her guard slip but immediately goes back to suppressing things when she realizes. There must be some reason for this. Is she scared? Has she been hurt before? Or is there something even more deeply ingrained in her that prevents her from talking?_

She looks down and motions to me, “Come on slow poke.”

I realize I’ve just been staring into space for a while now. I get up and follow the… how did she put it? ‘Beautiful blue-haired babe’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a great day and see you next time. Stay safe out there.


	5. Max Caulfield, Super Sleuth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone seems to be going out of their way to embarrass Max today.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. Welcome back. Here’s the next chapter for you.   
> Enjoy

**Chapter Five: Max Caulfield, Super Sleuth**

We make our way silently down the long corridor to Chloe’s office so as to not wake anyone. When we reach her door, she sighs, “I don’t know about you, but I am exhausted. That is the most I have moved in a while,” she puts a hand on her door then pauses and turns to me, “You know, there is kind of a room problem recently. Not enough places to put everyone. So, if you don’t want to sleep on a chair in the corridor, you can… sleep in my office.”

I weigh up my options, figuring that taking her up on her offer would be the smart move here.

_I would rather not sleep on a chair. I have done that before. Not a good experience._

“Sure. That would be great. Thanks.”

She flashes me a small smile, “No problem,” she opens the door and I follow her in. She slumps down into her office chair and point to another door, “There is a bedroom and bathroom behind that door. Feel free to use whatever you want. What’s mine is yours,” she turns on her computer and starts to type away, then opens a few desk drawers while muttering to herself, “Where is that damn thing…?”

I walk on over to the door and peak inside. The room behind the door is fairly bare, a double bed sits against the opposite wall in the middle, a small bedside table beside it with a blue lamp. Small blue butterfly shaped fairy lights line the walls.

_Color co-ordination seems to be a big thing here._

Chloe’s voice calls through to me from the other room, “I know what you’re thinking. Victoria is a stickler for color co-ordination. She made sure the whole place was re-decorated.”

A small TV sits atop a stand, a blue couch before it. A dark chest of drawers, which I assume contains all manner of interesting objects and most probably junk if her office is anything to go by, is next to the wall on my right. The room isn’t anywhere near as messy as her office. In fact, I would go so far as to say it was clean.

_I guess she doesn’t spend much time in here._

Another door to my left leads off into a bathroom. I exit the room and go back to her office, finding her busy examining a form.

“Where will you sleep?”

She shrugs, spinning her chair back and forth, “I’ve got extra duvets I can put on the floor. Besides, I may be up all night anyway. People don’t just stop dying, simply for want of sleep,” she taps a finger on her desk, “What’s the saying? No rest for the wicked.”

_Oh no. That is not how this is going to work. I would not feel right if she was sleeping on the floor. Also, Chloe looks like she needs to catch up on some z’s, at least if the dark circles under her eyes are any indication._

I cross my arms and shake my head at her suggestion, “I can’t take your bed and you need to get some sleep. You’ve been walking around like a zombie the entire time I’ve been with you.”

Chloe stands up abruptly, her back turned to me as she shuts off her computer and shoves the papers back in her desk. She turns around to face me, leaning on the desk, “I guess we can share it. It’s big enough for two people with extra room to spare. I promise I won’t pull anything… unless you want me to,” she winks.

I can’t help but blush at her insinuation and stutter, “Y-you are out of control.”

She offers me a lop-sided cheeky grin, “Yep. I am fucking insane in the brain. You saw Randi, now you know where I get it from,” she opens the door to her bedroom and lays down on the right hand side of the bed. I follow her in and she pats the space beside her, “You coming?”

I lick my lips before sliding in beside her, the bed dipping as I get in. Chloe is teetering right on the edge of the bed.

_If she were to move over any more, she would fall out._

“Chloe, you’re going to fall out if you stay like that,” I turn over and all but drag her closer, but I overshoot it and end up face to face, “Uh…” is all I manage to utter as I feel her warm breath on my skin, her blue eyes staring back at me. I clear my throat awkwardly and turn over to hide my flushed cheeks, “Now, go to sleep.”

“Yes ma’am,” she whispers into the darkness.

* * *

**_My vision is blurry and dark as I slip in and out of consciousness. I can hear sobbing and a disembodied voice mumbling incoherent broken sentences. I try to focus on what the voice is saying, but only catch a few words and what I do manage to hear is muffled, like I’m underwater._ **

**_“…ax… Max… sorry… I… don’t… please… I can’t… without…”_ **

* * *

My eyes open abruptly and are met with darkness.

_What the hell was that?_

A sudden pain shoots through my head, causing my vision to become unfocused. I scrunch my eyes up tight and put my hands to my head in a vain attempt to try and stop the throbbing as I grit my teeth and clutch onto the blanket.

_Shit. This is a whole new level of headache._

I lay there completely still for a few moments, praying that my head won’t explode and trying to calm my erratic heartbeat. The throbbing slowly fades to a dull ache and I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down as I stare up at the ceiling.

_That was so… weird. Maybe I should ask Chloe about it. She might know. It’s worth a try._

I go to shift, but am restricted by a warm pressure on my waist. I turn my head to see that Chloe has moved closer to me in her sleep and is now snuggled up against my back. I glance down and confirm that she has draped her arm over me. Before I have time to really understand the situation I’m in she stirs, her bleary eyes flicker open.

“Morning,” I whisper, to which she only groans. As her eyes slowly open she stares around in confusion as they slowly fall on the arm she has wrapped around me, “Shit, sorry…” she mumbles apologetically as she goes to detach herself.

I instinctively grab her arm to stop her from moving, “Don’t you dare move. It’s cold and you’re warm.”

She sheepishly moves back over to me, but leaves a gap between us. I lean back into her, causing her body to tense up.

“Just relax, ok,” I quietly reassure her.

I can feel the tension slowly leave her body, “You sure you’re ok like this?”

I nod, which does nothing for my headache, “Yep. Positive.”

_Ever since I woke up here, things have been insane. I can barely believe any of this has happened. I’m still expecting to wake up and realize this has all been a dream. I bet everyone who comes here does._

After a few moments I break the silence, “I bet not many people can say they have slept beside Death, huh?”

Chloe lets out a small laugh, “No, not too many people can claim that. You would be the first for me at least.”

_Huh? Interesting._

“Really?” I question teasingly.

Her voice wavers slightly, “Yep. I don’t just let anyone into my bed.”

“Is that so?”

Chloe’s breath on my neck sends shivers down my spine, “Yeah. Trust me, enough people have tried. You still get the same sleazy arseholes here as you do in the world of the Living. Some people just don’t quit.”

_I bet she’s had a lot of people like that. I mean, she is really pretty._

“How do you know I’m not a ‘sleazy arsehole’? I could just be waiting for my chance to take advantage of you,” I ask, curious to hear her response.

She bursts out laughing, “Damn, Max. You have made me laugh more now than I have done in five years,” she tries to get her breathing under control, “If that was really your intention, you would have jumped me in my sleep.”

“Fair point. What if I’m just biding my time?”

Chloe reaches over me, taking my hand and idly plays with my index finger, “If that is your plan, then I’m not totally against it.”

I feel a blush form on my cheeks again and Chloe grins, her tone teasing, “Aw, did I make Max blush?”

I clear my throat nervously, “I… kind of walked into that one.”

_I’m not sure if she’s joking or not half the time when she says things like that. Maybe I’m just over thinking things, reading into it too much… a forte of mine._

Her voice becomes soft and gentle, “Besides, you seem like a decent person so far. Also, someone as adorkable as you could never be evil.”

“Maybe that’s my plan to lure you in.”

She takes a strand of my hair and twirls it round her finger, “If that’s the case, then it’s working.”

I shake my head gently and smile at her, “You are a shameless flirt, you know that.”

“Only with a certain person,” she breathes.

_I should ask her about the voices I keep hearing…_

“Chloe?” I call out her name tentatively.

“Yeah?”

I turn over to face her, a bit apprehensive about asking, “This is going to sound… crazy, but recently I’ve been hearing voices… in my head.”

Chloe closes her eyes deep in thought, her brow furrowing as she thinks it over. Then her eyes open once again, “That might be from the hospital room you’re at. Sometimes you might hear what people are saying in the world of the Living. You’re kind of in between the two worlds at the minute. It’ll probably happen most when asleep, at least that’s what has happened to some others.”

_I guess that would make sense. I wish I could have recognized the voice. That might have helped._

She continues more cautiously, “Sometimes being around me too can make it happen, seeing as I am so connected to both worlds. I guess it’s your soul trying to find the right world to go to. It’s very confusing for it. Your physical body is in the Living world, but it rejects it for any long period of time. You’re kind of floating between both worlds, trying to get settled.”

_One mystery down, just another hundred to go. No biggie. The more I try to think about it, the more my head throbs._

“I still don’t get how I got here.”

Chloe nods sympathetically, “That’s normal. A lot of people have a memory lag or can never remember. Plus, if you had any head trauma it can take a lot longer to recall anything. That’s a bug in the system we’ve been combatting for a long time.”

_What the hell happened to me? I don’t think I would have gotten into any life threatening situations willingly. Maybe a car accident?_

“I suppose I just have to keep thinking.”

Chloe sighs, “Don’t try too hard. Sometimes it’s better to not think about it for a while. You can’t force memories. Besides, it’s not really a very happy thought anyway. It’s driven some people mad.”

_That as the case may be, I want to know._

“I’d still like to know.”

Chloe is silent for a few seconds and I wonder if she’s gone back to sleep again. The she finally speaks, “I’ll keep looking into it for you. I’m sure something will turn up eventually. I’ll make sure to find out before you go back.”

_It’s not like I’m in any rush to get back particularly. I’m actually quite enjoying the change of scenery and it’s giving me a chance just to relax and forget about everything for a while._

“Thanks.”

Chloe carefully takes the covers off of herself and shuffles to the edge of the bed, “Well, I need to get a move on. Places to go, people to do. As much as I would love to stay and chat to you all day of course.”

_She must be so busy. Just thinking of how many people pass every day makes my head hurt again._

Chloe gives herself a once over in a small mirror on the wall, running her fingers through her hair and examining her strawberry blonde roots, “I think I need to re-dye my hair at some point. Haven’t had much time recently,” she turns to leave the bedroom.

Something in me is reluctant to let her go. Before she disappears completely I call out, “Can I come with you?”

Chloe stops and glances back over her shoulder at me. She seems to be considering it for a second, then shakes her head, “I wish you could, but I’ll be out in the world of the Living for a while today. You won’t be able to come along I’m afraid, since your body is out of action.”

_I had a feeling that would be the case and I know Chloe can’t drop everything just to spend time with me. I mean, this is a job._

Seeing the obvious disappointment in my face, she walks back over and takes my hand in hers, “As soon as I’m back I’ll come find you. Maybe you can go see Kate. She’ll be in the café all day. You’ll have to be my spy to get the gossip on her and Victoria’s date. We all know that’s what it was… at least I hope so. I have a lot of money riding on this. The other guys here think Victoria will bottle it,” she lets go of my hand and makes her way back over to the door, seeming more reluctant to leave this time. She stops and turns back to me, “Don’t cause too much trouble while I’m gone.”

I smirk at her, “I can’t make any promises.”

She offers me a toothy grin and then leaves, picking up her cloak and scythe on the way out.

* * *

I somehow manage to find my way back to the café after stumbling into a few doors I probably wasn’t supposed to go in.

_I really am terrible with directions._

Kate is stood at the counter, cleaning the sides down. There is hardly anyone here now, unlike the last time. 

_It must be early here._

Something on the wall catches my attention, a large clock that looks a bit like the contraption Chloe has on her wrist. I squint to read it, but I can’t make out the symbols. I give up and head on over to the counter and take a seat. As I do, Kate smiles warmly at me, “Max. How are you this morning?”

“Good thanks.”

Kate leans forward, “You want anything? Chloe’s told me to put you on her tab.”

_That’s news to me._

“Has she now?”

“She has,” Kate confirms.

_Chloe…_

“I can’t let her do that,” I say as I fumble around in my pockets.

_Hmm… 86 cents. I am so rich._

A thought crosses my mind and I begin to rummage around in my bag to find my purse.

_I’m so glad I haven’t put my birthday money in the bank yet. My procrastination has become an advantage for a change._

“Do you take US currency?”

Kate nods, “We do indeed.”

“Then I’ll take a black coffee and pancakes please.”

“Coming right up,” Kate turns around and begins preparing my order, “You’d be surprised at how many different currencies pass through this place.”

I imagine the vast number of people who come here, all from different parts of the world, “I bet.”

After a few minutes, Kate places a cup and a plate of steaming pancakes on the counter. She moves the assortment of syrups, sugars and other toppings closer to me and returns to cleaning, “You need anything else, just give me a shout.”

“Thanks,” I rub my hands together in anticipation and drizzle some syrup onto the stack and dig in.

_This smells like heaven._

As I eat, a few more people enter the café and place their orders, some to go, others sit in. As I make my way through the huge stack, I manage to get syrup everywhere. Kate glances up from her cleaning, giggles and passes me a few napkins to wipe myself off with, “Thanks.”

_I always make such a mess._

The jukebox in the corner plays in the background amidst the hushed chattering of those few souls who have entered this place and the clattering of cutlery.

* * *

**_Throw me in the landfill_ **

**_Don't think about the consequences_ **

**_Throw me in the dirt pit_ **

**_Don't think about the choices that you make_ **

**_Throw me in the water_ **

**_Don't think about the splash I will create_ **

**_Leave me at the altar_ **

**_Knowing all the things you just escaped_ **

* * *

_Oh, this place fits my hipster vibes amazingly well._

I lean forward over the plate to try and prevent any further mess and bring a fork full of pancake to my mouth, savoring the taste.

_If I could justify eating pancakes for every meal I so would._

“Ah, Max. We meet again,” a deep voice calls out behind me. I turn around to see Randi, who beams at me and signals to the seat next to me, “Mind if I join you?”

I swallow my food and reply, “Not at all.”

He sits on the empty stool to my right and smiles at Kate, “Hi, Kate.”

Kate beams at him, “Hey, how’s Lee?”

Randi idly browses one of the menus sat on the counter, “He’s doing well, thanks. In fact, he should be swinging by this place soon.”

Kate moves some dirty cups to the side of a sink, “Oh good. I haven’t seen him in a while.”

He runs a hand through his short wavy blonde hair, “Yeah, he’s… had a lot on recently.”

She sighs as she starts washing up the used cups, “Haven’t we all?”

_Who’s Lee?_

Randi puts his elbows on the table, propping his chin on his interlinked hands, “So Max. What do you think of this place so far?”

_It’s definitely not what I thought it’d be like._

I take a sip of my coffee before answering, “Well, it doesn’t really match what I expected in a good way.”

Kate passes Randi a mug and he thanks her, “Yeah, humans have some very funny concept of Death. Speaking of Death… I hope Chloe’s been treating you well.”

“Oh yes. She has,” I feel a smile tug at the corner of my lips at the mention of her name.

Randi gives me a look I can’t decipher, “What do you… think of her?”

_Chloe is…_

I rub the back of my neck, “Well, she’s been really nice and friendly. She showed me around and…” the memories from this morning run through my mind. Her body so close to mine, her breath warm on the nape of my neck, the questionably flirtations remarks… I feel my cheeks burn.

“And…?” Randi questions amusedly, a huge smug smirk on his face.

_I feel like he can read my mind. He knows something went down. Well, it wasn’t really something as such… was it? I am so confused right now._

I take a sip from the steaming cup of coffee, stalling for time. When I can no longer justify my silence, I quickly change the subject, “Kate…” from the corner of my eyes I can see Randi smiling knowingly as he takes a sip of his drink.

_There is no way he didn’t notice that. Way to be subtle. Ok, time for detective mode. I have a mission from Chloe._

Kate leans over the counter in front of me, “Yes, Max.”

_How do I even say this?_

I swirl the cup, gathering my thoughts, “How’d it go yesterday… with Victoria?”

Kate smiles at me in amusement, “Let me guess… Chloe set you up to this.”

Randi grins, swiping a stray strand of blonde hair from his face, “Who else would so thoroughly invade someone else’s personal affairs?”

Kate pauses for a moment, then nods in agreement, “You may have a point there.”

I rub my neck, “Is it that obvious? Maybe I should review my career choice as a spy.”

Kate walks over to a table and picks up the various mugs and plates from it, “maybe you should,” she giggles as she comes back over, “In answer to your question… it was nice and we had a long chat about… things.”

I can’t help but ask, “Things?”

Kate smiles coyly at me, “My, we are nosy.”

_I never know when to stop. Plus, I don’t think that answer would satisfy Chloe._

I look down at the steam rising from my mug, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry…”

Kate waves away my apology, “It’s fine, Max,” she leans back over the counter, her head propped up with her left hand. With her right she takes a straw from a pot and traces circles on the wooden counter, “Victoria and I have worked together for a long time and we were in the same class at school. There is a lot of training to do for our jobs and we seemed to be in a lot of the same classes, so we saw each other a lot and became friends quickly-”

Kate stops mid-sentence and looks over at Randi, who looks back at her innocently, “What?”

She narrows her hazel eyes suspiciously at him, “You didn’t happen to have anything to do with that… did you?”

He holds up his hands defensively, “What makes you say that?”

“It was very strange how we were in basically exactly the same classes every year,” Kate comments.

Randi smiles at her, “Maybe I did.”

Kate sighs, “It all makes so much more sense now.”

He places his mug on the counter in front of him, “I just couldn’t help it. I saw how cute you two were together and I just had to do something.”

Kate thinks this new information over for a moment, then shakes her head and smiles, “Well, thank you, Randi.”

He winks at her, “You did the hard work, kid.”

Kate blushes slightly then clears her throat, “A-anyway, Victoria and I have both felt something for a while now, especially recently, but we were both too scared to say. Victoria just kind of blurted it out, which shocked me at first. We… decided to make a go of it,” she tenderly smiles, her face soft and gentle.

_They must really like each other._

Randi pats Kate on the back, “Good on you guys. You sure took your time.”

“Yeah, congrats.”

Kate smiles at us shyly, “Thanks. Anyway…” she turns to me, her hazel eyes hold an inquisitive and cheeky glint, “I’m more interested in you and Chloe.”

I nearly choke on the pancakes I am eating at the unexpected question. Randi pats me on the back as I cough to help. Once I have finally composed myself again I stammer, “Wh-what about us?”

Randi starts to eat his eggs and bacon, but I can see the small smile on his lips at Kate’s merciless interrogation. She gives me a skeptical look, “For one, I’ve known Chloe long enough to tell when she likes someone.”

My eyes widen at her insinuation and I am unable to speak for a while, “I… jeez, Kate.”

She smiles and continues, “And I have a feeling you like her too.”

_My turn to be interrogated I guess._

I rub my neck and bite my lip, “I mean… yeah… she’s really… great.”

Randi raises one of his blonde eyebrows, “Great, huh?”

Kate giggles at my embarrassment as I fidget in the seat refusing to meet their eyes.

_If the ground could swallow me up right now, that would be great, thanks._

I look away, desperately trying to hide my now flushed cheeks. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a man walk in to the café. His eyes settle on us and he makes a b-line toward the counter where we are sat.

As he approaches, I can see his features more clearly. He must be around 5’7 and has a well-built frame. His long ginger hair is tied up into a bun and he has a short scraggly beard. He wears a blue flannel shirt, black trousers with suspenders which hang down either side of his legs and black boots. A silver necklace dangles down with a fox and doe pendant attached to it.

_Weird combo._

A tattoo pokes out from the sleeve of his shirt. I can’t really make out what it is exactly, but I think I can see a bushy orange tail.

_I assume he must have been one of the grim reapers. I think I remember seeing a fox portrait on the wall near the offices._

He has a few thin bracelets on his wrist and a couple of silver rings on his fingers which are slightly rusted, one glows orange faintly. He also has a set of small stud earrings and a nose stud. Randi seems too fixated on his coffee to notice as the guy creeps up and taps Randi on the shoulder. He spins around, beaming at the man when he sees him, “Lee!” Randi exclaims as he stands up and gives him a huge bone crushing hug. Lee shyly returns the hug as Randi pecks him on the cheek, causing Lee to look happy, if a bit embarrassed, “I thought you would never come.”

Lee reaches up and ruffles Randi’s hair, smiling just as widely, “I always come, Reindeer.”

Randi winks at Lee, “Don’t I know it,” Lee rolls his eyes, but grins from ear to ear. Randi crosses his arms and pouts, “Hey and enough of the whole “Reindeer” thing. I get enough of that from Chloe, I don’t need you at it too. You guys encourage each other way too much.”

Lee grins, taking a seat next to Randi, “Sure, make out **_I’m_** the trouble maker.”

He orders some tea and glances over at me, amusement flickering in his piercing green eyes, “I see you’ve wasted no time in chatting up the ladies,” he gives me a big wink.

Randi lets out a hearty chuckle and puts an arm around me, drawing me closer, “You jealous?”

Lee waves away his comment lethargically, “She can have you.”

Randi puts on an expression of mock hurt, his face strained trying to suppress a huge grin, “Ouch. That hurt.”

Lee chuckles, “I’m joking.”

Randi shoves him with enough force to nearly push him off the chair, “You’d better be.”

Once Lee has regained his balance, he turns to me, “I don’t think I have had the pleasure of knowing your name.”

“I’m Max,” I mention, trying to wrap my head around the past few minutes. Things seem to change so quickly in this place around the grim reapers… at least the ones I’ve met.

_I wonder what the others are like…_

He points to himself, “As you’ve heard I am Lee.”

Randi places a hand firmly on my shoulder, “Young Max here is getting pretty… friendly with our dear and darling Chloe.”

They glance at each other briefly, Lee raising an eyebrow and Randi giving him a subtle nod, “Wait…” Lee scratches his chin, “Chloe is actually talking to someone outside this place as opposed to just scowling and scaring the shit out of them.”

Randi nods, nursing his coffee, “I know. Crazier things have happened I suppose.”

Lee breaks out into a wide grin, “We should celebrate. You have no idea what this means to us, Max. Chloe likes to make out she is a lone wolf, but really she is just finds it hard to connect with people.”

_I hear that._

“Are you guys bonding over how fucked up I am?” a mischievous voice from behind makes us all turn. Chloe stands there, her hand on her hip as she assesses the situation she’s walked in on.

Lee smiles at her, “Speak of the devil. Fun day at work?”

Chloe sits to my left, “Is there ever a fun day on this job?”

“Alright smartass,” he narrows his eyes accusingly at Randi, “I wonder who taught you such terrible attitude.”

Randi holds up his hands defensively, “Hey, you are just as much to blame as me.”

_This atmosphere feels so relaxed and positive. It’s hard not to be swept up in it._

Randi drains the remnants of his drink, places his cutlery on the now clean plate and stands up, closely followed by Lee, “Anyway, we’ll leave you two love birds to it.”

Chloe rolls her eyes, “Yeah sure, whatever.”

Randi leaves money on the counter and both he and Lee exit the café.

Chloe sighs and turns to me, “I hope they weren’t too embarrassing while I was away, but then what are parents for?” a fond grin forms on her lips, “Oh yeah, they are together in case you haven’t already guessed.”

_That would explain the doe on Lee’s necklace. Sweet._

Chloe stretches as Kate places a large plate of eggs and bacon on the counter in front of her. She smiles at Kate appreciatively, “Thanks Marshmallow,” Kate nods and returns to cleaning glasses.

Chloe leans over to me, covering her hand with her mouth as if to stop Kate from hearing and whispers in my ear, “So, you got the dirt on Chasemarsh yet?”

Kate turns around and giggles, “Chasemarsh? Are you really going to use that?”

Chloe grins, placing her hands behind her head, “Hella yes. I ship it. This is some good shit.”

Kate focuses on the glass in her hand, “Well, I guess you could say that your ship has sailed and become canon.”

Chloe’s eyes light up at the news, “Hot damn. I can’t wait for all the dirty fan art and fanfiction being posted down the corridor when word gets out.”

Kate opens her mouth to protest, then closes it. It would seem she has decided that protests are futile and probably would result in Chloe’s taunting being a thousand times worse.

“Dirty fan art and fanfiction of what?” Chloe swivels around and meets Victoria’s icy glare.

Chloe smiles at her innocently, “Just from a new show I’ve been watching.”

Victoria crosses her arms and stares sternly at Chloe, “If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable,” she huffs as she takes a seat at the counter.

Almost immediately, Kate drops the glass she is holding, causing Chloe to smirk smugly, “Told you. Don’t let her near anything you value.”

Kate goes to pick up the glass, but Victoria grabs her hand, “You’ll cut yourself if you do it like that,” Kate blushes and nods as Victoria goes around to locate the brush to clean up.

_They are so fucking cute._

Chloe finishes off her food, sighing contently as she looks over at me, “Anyway, if you have time now we can go give that other room I told you about a check out. It’ll be worth it, trust me.”

_I must admit, I am curious._

I shrug, “It’s not like I’ve got anything better to do.”

Chloe claps her hands together, the sound reverberating off of the walls, causing several people to look up from their meal.

_She just can’t be quiet._

“Great. At this time not too many people use it. Fingers crossed it should be free,” she jumps up from her seat and grabs my arm, excitedly pulling me along, “This is a hella special room. Prepare to be amazed.”

She guides me back out to the corridor and turns down another thinner hallway we haven’t been down before. I glance out of one of the windows overlooking the outside world. On this side in the distance I can see mountains, in the foreground are so many lights and buildings, people slowly amble down the street without a care in the world. I press my nose against the glass, getting a closer look as my breath fogs up the glass.

_It’s so different from the world of the Living where everyone is always rushing around._

Chloe comes up behind me, putting her hand on the glass beside mine, “That’s the main city here. It’s the first place you go when you’ve officially all been checked in.”

I walk over to the other side and catch a glimpse of the forest Chloe and I went to the other day.

_This place is so beautiful._

We continue through the next set of doors leading onto yet another corridor and stop outside the second door on our right. Chloe swivels around and smiles, “Ok, close your eyes and open your mind…”

I giggle, “Nerd.”

She sticks out her tongue and I close my eyes, hearing tapping and whirring, “Just got to remember my username and password for the system, hold on…” a small bleep reaches my ears along with Chloe’s annoyed mumbling, “Fuck… ah got it,” I feel something tug at my sleeve I assume to be Chloe’s hand, “No peeking now.”

I step forward, feel blindly around and my hand hits something. I hear a laugh, “Damn, Max. I didn’t think you would be so bold as to touch my ass in public?”

I recoil my hand quickly, “What?!” I go to open my eyes, but they are covered again by Chloe’s hand.

“Sorry. I’m kidding. That was my arm… unfortunately. Don’t open yet,” she guides me into the room and positions me. I hear more tapping and a few whirring noises, “This is gonna sound a bit crazy, but I need you to take your shoes off.”

_That does sound crazy. What have I gotten myself into?_

“That’s going to be hard to do with my eyes shut,” I wryly comment.

“Well, I’ll do it then. Hold out your foot,” I hold out my left foot in front of me and hear Chloe mutter, “Watch it. You nearly kicked me.”

“Sorry,” I apologize as I wobble around.

_My balance sucks._

A warm pressure, presumably Chloe’s hand, guides my hand onto what I think is Chloe’s shoulder… well I hope it is anyway.

_God knows what mischief she has planned._

I use her shoulder to steady myself and feel her hands on my foot, carefully removing my right shoe. She pulls down my sock, her finger nails gently scraping against my skin, “Ok, other foot, but try not to kick this time.”

“That depends on whether you make any smartass comments in the next thirty seconds or so.”

Chloe chuckles, “Damn, Max. I take back what I said earlier. You are evil.”

I slowly lift up my other foot. She de-shoes it and places it back on the floor and I stand there bare foot.

“Now what?” I question.

“Keep those eyes closed,” she orders as a small gust of fresh air ruffles my hair.

_Has she opened a window?’_

The once cold, hard floor beneath my feet suddenly shifts, now warm and soft, in fact I think it’s more fluid now. I shuffle my foot around to confirm my suspicions and the floor moves. A cold wet sensation laps at my ankles, causing jump back in surprise. I hear stifled laughter from behind me.

“So not funny, Chloe.”

“You should have seen yourself,” she chuckles.

“Yeah, laugh it up.”

More noises linger in the air and Chloe mumbles underneath her breath again, “Nearly there.”

The room temperature changes suddenly, it heats up considerably and lightens up too. Other sounds begin to permeate the air, possibly water, birds… The air is scented with salt.

_What is happening?_

A small breath of air tickles my ear as a hushed voice whispers, “Ok… open…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone who doesn’t know, the lyrics are from Landfill by Daughter and is well worth a listen. I think it would have been a good one to include in LIS too. The OC’s are growing in number. I might have a few others from the grim reaper gang make a brief appearance at some point in the story.Have an amazing day and thank you all so much for reading.


	6. Open Me Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What does Chloe have in store for Max?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. Hope you’re doing well today. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I did writing it.

**Chapter Six: Open Me Up**

When my eyes open a beach lays before me, the water glistening as the sun beating down, the sand warm under my feet. I stand around silently for a moment, trying to take it all in.

I turn to Chloe, a puzzled expression on my face, “What… how…?”

She offers me a lop-sided smile, “Welcome to the best room in this joint, the place where imagination comes alive, memories can be relived and new sanctuaries can be created.”

I look around in awe, almost unable to comprehend the sight before me. I crouch down and grab a handful of sand, letting the grains run through my fingers.

_You wouldn’t have thought that this place was the same room we were in a few moments ago._

“This place is… incredible,” I breath as the cool salty sea breeze caresses my skin and gently ruffles my hair.

Chloe grins at me, placing her hands behind her head, “Damn right it is. You have no idea how many people use this place every day.”

_It looks so… real._

She strides over to me, taking my hands in hers. She looks down at our now interlinked hands, “So… it’s been a cray time for you and I thought…” she glances up from our hands, her eyes gentle and her voice low, “…I thought I could make it a bit better.”

_She’s trying so hard to make me feel comfortable._

I squeeze her hands, “This definitely does.”

She lets go of my hands and playfully nudges my shoulder, “So, you want to splish splash?”

_I so want to try the whole experience out properly. It’s not every day you get an opportunity like this._

“Uh… yes! This is amazing.”

Chloe grins at me and starts getting undressed. I look away bashfully as she strips down, not being able to help glancing over every now and then. Within moments, she stands there unashamedly in her mismatched underwear. She catches me staring and grins, “Perv.”

_Shit._

“I… you…” I stutter, unable to form coherent sentences and feel my cheeks heat up considerably.

She winks at me, “Hey, it’s cool. I get why, I mean…” she motions to her nearly naked body.

I roll my eyes, secretly catching another glimpse of her, “Oh, ha ha.”

She turns around and mutters to herself, her back facing me, “Besides… if it’s you, I don’t mind.”

Before I have a chance to say anything she jumps into the water, her body completely submerged. She disappears under the water for a moment then resurfaces again, her faded blue hair now slicked back as small droplets of water run down her face and neck.

She rubs the water out of her eyes and turns around to face me, grinning from ear to ear, “Oh yeah, baby! Feels like a hot tub!” she glances over to me and sighs, “Tell me you’re not going to stand there watching me like a zombie,” she places a well-aimed splash in my direction, narrowly missing me.

“Don’t you dare…” I giggle.

She grins at me tauntingly, “Come stop me, hippie!”

“Ok, you asked for it!” I shout as I shyly shrug off my worn gray hoodie and kick off my converses.

_I’m so not used to doing this. It’s a bit embarrassing._

I pull my pink Jane Doe t-shirt over my head and throw it to the sandy floor. As I step out of my jeans, I swear I see Chloe look over at me.

_Maybe that’s just wishful thinking…_

Soon, like Chloe I’m stood in my underwear. Before I have the chance to feel apprehensive about this I take a running jump into the water, “Cowabunga!” I cry out as I splash into the water, ripples forming on the surface from my entry point.

Chloe swims closer to me, a shit-eating grin on her face, “Why look, an otter in my water! Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun…”

_Trust her to pick the one movie that scares me to hum._

“Oh dog, please don’t. I get so freaked out by that movie, so stop. I can’t even watch any of those shark shows,” I splash her back, causing her to scream in delight. We end up getting into a major splash war, both trying to get the other as drenched as possible, neither of us willing to accept defeat.

Eventually Chloe relents, panting lightly from our impromptu battle, “I so won the hella splish splash war.”

I shake my head in disbelief, “You so did not. I clearly won.”

She offers me a charming smile, “Let’s call a truce,” she wades back out of the sea, shaking herself off like a dog and brushes the sand off her clothes and puts them back on. I get out of the water and do the same. Once we are fully clothed again she stretches, “No time to sunbathe, onto the next part.”

_Next part?_

“What?”

Chloe fiddles around with her watch thing, “Yeah, I have more lined up…” she glances up at me hesitantly, “…if you want to see of course.”

I nod, “I do.”

She beams at me, “That’s what I like to hear.”

The sea and sand slowly begin to fade, replaced with a grassy field. The sun disappears behind the horizon and the bright blue sky turns dark, thousands of stars twinkling in its depths. A beat up yellow truck is parked a couple of feet away from us that looks like it’s seen better days, a mini cooler positioned beside it just within arm’s reach. A small fire sits at our feet, it crackles as Chloe places another log on it. She lays down on the grass, staring up at the night sky with her hands behind her head. She reaches over to the cooler and takes out a beer bottle, popping the lid off with a bottle opener.

She glances up at me and motions to the cooler, “Feel free to grab one if you want.”

I kneel down beside the cooler and remove the lid, peering inside. I can see various drinks, some alcoholic others not. After some deliberation, I grab and orange flavored soda and sit down by the fire. I open the can and take a sip, the cool fizzy liquid pouring down my throat.

_Jeez_ , _I didn’t realize how thirsty I was._

Chloe takes a sip of her beer and turns to me, “Oh yeah, before I nearly forget…” she stands up and walks over to the truck round to the back. She reaches in and grabs something, holding it out for me to see, “I managed to find a guitar. Think you’re up to a little demo?”

I take the guitar from her, giving it a once over. It kind of reminds me of the one I have back in the Living world, but this one looks way more expensive.

“Don’t mind if I do,” I remark as sit down on a large log by the fire.

The orange and yellow flames twirl and dance in the gentle breeze. They lick at the air, the heat warming my skin. I tune the guitar and, once satisfied, start to strum. I close my eyes and let the sound wash over.

_When I have a guitar in my hand, much like with my camera, I can just zone out, forget everything that is happening and just… be me, no walls, no hiding… just me as I am. That’s why it is hard to let people see this side. I am just laying myself bare, no armor._

My ears pick up on another sound, one I was not expecting, one that causes the corner of my lips to pull upwards into a smile. I don’t need to open my eyes to confirm that Chloe is singing alongside my playing. Her voice is so mesmerizing, so beautiful and gentle… yet there is a pain behind it, an almost melancholic quality. No-one sings like that unless they have experienced more than they should have to. The raw emotion takes my breath away.

_Chloe, what has the world done to you to make you sing like this? To sing with a desire to make someone else’s pain vanish, to make them feel like they are not alone, begging and pleading with the world to spare another poor soul from the fate you suffered…_

I strum until I have completely exhausted every song I know how to play. Just to prolong the experience, I even resort to playing a few random chords at one point, not wanting this amazing feeling to stop. It kind of feels like… home. Chloe doesn’t seem to know all the songs I play, not that it stops her. When she doesn’t know the lyrics, she makes up her own, ones that come from the heart. I don’t want it to end… but it seems all good things must. I take a deep breath and place the guitar down gently on the grass behind us. Chloe sits beside me on the log, her voice soft, “Thanks, Max. That was amazing. You really do sell yourself short.”

_She’s so supportive and that’s what I need, what we all need. Someone to quell the tide of doubt and fear that we aren’t good enough… someone to make us love what we do and ourselves._

I place a hand on her arm, putting every ounce of emotion into that one look to try and give her the same feeling, “It always helps when I have an accompaniment. You sing really beautifully.”

She glances down at her boots shyly, “I… don’t usually do it… at least in front of people.”

_We all have our vulnerable sides. Sides we will only share with those we trust, those who will not brush us off dismissively, those who will embrace us for who we are._

“Thanks for letting me hear.”

Chloe smiles warmly at me, “Thanks for listening,” she clears her throat, “I got something special…”

She digs around in the cooler and takes out some chocolate, marshmallows and crackers, holding them up triumphantly for me to see, “We can make some s’mores.”

_Oh dog. How long has it been since I had s’mores? It feels like a lifetime ago… I guess it kind of is in a way._

I beam at her, “You read my mind.”

I catch a flicker of something in her eyes, which almost immediately disappears… maybe it was just the reflection of the fire, “Who doesn’t like them?” she comments as she grabs a skewer, impaling a marshmallow on it. She passes a skewer to me, placing the marshmallow bag in between us and holds hers over the fire. We sit there, our arms almost touching, something I am very aware of.

_I wonder if Chloe has noticed too._

We watch as the marshmallow starts to brown. Every so often I feel her foot nudge mine, but it’s probably by accident. She turns hers over to stop it from getting burnt, “I’ve always wanted to do this.”

I absentmindedly turn my marshmallow over, “You haven’t before?”

She stares into the fire, her eyes focused on the marshmallow, “Nope. Not really.”

Her shoulders are hunched slightly as she shuffles her feet, her entire body seeming to close in on itself, “At least you’re doing it now.”

She looks down at her boots, “Yep,” is all she offers before she goes uncharacteristically quiet.

_What’s going on in her head?_

“Something on your mind?”

She glances up at me, her eyes so dark as she sighs, “It’s nothing really. Just… thinking too much,” her eyes turn back to the fire, a slight glint of amusement flickering in them, “Max,” she points at my marshmallow, which has now caught fire.

“Shit,” I wave the skewer around and blow on it desperately, much to Chloe’s amusement. When the fire is finally out, I can see the marshmallow is completely burnt.

Chloe is laughing so much that tears are steaming from her eyes, “Max. You never fail to crack me up.”

I scrape the singed marshmallow onto the ground with my empty soda can, “Yeah, yeah. Just wait until you do something stupid.”

Her eyes glisten, the gold and purple returning in the bright sea of blue as she points her skewer at me, “You want mine?”

_At least she’s smiling again. I don’t like seeing her sad._

I wave away her offer, “It’s fine. I’ll do another one. Thanks though.”

I grab another marshmallow, sticking the skewer through it and hold it over the fire. This time I stare at it intently to ensure that it doesn’t burn, making her laugh even more. After a few tense moments, I have a perfectly cooked marshmallow. Chloe takes her skewer from the fire, assembles her s’more and hands the rest of the ingredients I need over to me. We sit there, eagerly devouring our s’mores eagerly. Once we’ve finished the first lot, we make several more, thankfully with few incidents. At one point, Chloe threw another log onto the fire, which caused the flames to get huge and nearly singeing off her eyebrows. I did tell her she was too close, but she just brushed me off. I was extremely smug and a bit worried at first. Other than this, the rest of the process goes smoothly.

When we are finished, she leans back on her hands and sighs contently, “That hit the spot,” she stands up and offers me a hand which I take. Once she’s pulled me up, she brushes herself off and smiles at me, “I have one more place I want to show you.”

She once again messes around with dials and buttons on her bracelet, whirring noises piercing the air. A forest begins to materialize, the towering trees sway gently in the breeze, dancing to the whim of the wind. The cool breeze caresses my skin as the sun beats down, casting an amber haze on the area. Leaves twirl around us, the ground crunching under our feet as we walk. The air is filled with the smell of pine wood and of the various flowers that surround us.

_I’m not sure what they are, but they look so pretty. I’m not exactly a plant expert._

Ahead a little way, a young tawny doe drinks from a small pool of water in a clearing. As we approach, it turns its head curiously towards us. A small blue butterfly flutters past, hovering around the doe just out of reach. The doe cautiously sniffs the air and stares at the butterfly intently, seeming to plead with it to come closer. After some time, the butterfly finally gets closer to the doe, landing on its nose as it gently flaps its vibrant wings. We sit on the grass near the doe. I brush my hand across the grass, the long green blades tickling my fingers along with a few small wild flowers poking through. The doe stares at us, slowly making its way over. I reach out my hand a bit too quickly and the doe backs up.

I feel a warm pressure on my hand and hushed words at my ear, “You need to be slower, gentler or you’ll scare it.”

Chloe guides my hand out as the doe cautiously approaches us. It sniffs my hand, then allows me to rub my hand against its short fur, “Wowser.”

She holds out her finger and the blue butterfly lands on it, fluttering its wings. The butterfly sits there for a few moments, then suddenly flies off. The doe notices its sudden disappearance and darts off after it.

Chloe sighs, “This particular forest is a special place for me. It’s… it’s where I had my first kiss,” she draws her knees to her chest, placing her chin on her knees as she looks down at her feet, “I used to go to the Living world all the time as a kid, when my body didn’t freak out so much that is. It felt like my home,” she closes her eyes for a moment, composing her thoughts, “I was walking in the forest one day and this girl was wandering around. She saw me and instead of running away like everyone else… she asked if I want to play with her. We played for hours, it was pretty impressive really. Anyway, eventually she had to go home, but I went there at the same time every Friday I think it was. So did she. We did this for such a long time, over several years,” Chloe takes a daisy from the ground, twirling it between her fingers, “Without fail, we met up and just played and talked… we got really close, inseparable really. I hadn’t had a proper friend until that point.”

I run my fingers through the grass, “What happened to her?”

Chloe exhales deeply, “One day, I must have been around fourteen, I went there and waited… but she didn’t turn up. I was about to leave when she came running up out of nowhere and launched herself at me. She said that she had to move away. I didn’t quite know how to react… anyway she blurted out a load of stupid shit and… she… she kisses me, telling me that she was going to miss me and that she was sorry,” her brow furrows slightly as she looks over to me, her eyes are dark, but this time the gold and purple specks are actually visible.

_She must have mixed feelings about this memory. Chloe…_

“We… didn’t see each other again,” she mumbles.

_So many times we miss opportunities with those we love. We think we have all the time in the world… then we don’t._

She sighs, “Sometimes… I just go back to that forest and… sit there... hoping that one day she’ll come back. I know it’s stupid and she’s probably moved on with her life, but… it keeps me going, you know?”

_I know that feeling. Having something to keep you going._

She gives me the most heart breaking look I have ever seen. Her eyes are so sad and desperate, yet there is a flicker of hope and deep down buried in their depth are memories of a happier time.

_You just have to tease out the happiness… somehow… maybe one day… one day the hurt in her eyes will not take the foreground._

I nod sympathetically, “I get you.”

She sighs, “It was never going to work out anyway. Me being from the world of the Dead and all, but… it was good to think that way for a while…”

_She must have really loved this girl. Chloe, I’m sorry everything is so fucked up. I’m sorry that the one piece of happiness you had in your life was cruelly ripped away. It’s not fair. I don’t want her to look like that… hopeless and desperate. Think of something to make her smile again._

“Was it nice?”

She raises an eyebrow at me, “Was what nice? Oh what, the kiss?”

I nod and a fond smile forms on her lips. She is a million miles away, in a different place and time. Somewhere she feels whole, somewhere she considers home. She props her head on her hand, staring out into the forest with a serene expression on her face. She pushes a stray strand of her blue hair out of her eyes, which now shimmer, “Yeah, it was the happiest moment of my life... or is it death? I couldn’t believe it, even though I was probably never going to see her again. I had been waiting so long for something to happen. I was such a chicken shit, worried about asking and ruining everything. I wish I’d had the balls to ask sooner.”

I giggle at her dorky expression, “Oh please, tell me what it’s like to get that first magic kiss.”

Chloe chuckles, “Sorry to get you all worked up… wait… you’ve never kissed anyone before?”

When I shake my head, she seems surprised, “Wow, that’s… really surprising,” her lips quirk upwards into a small smile.

“How so?”

She scoffs at my question, “Who wouldn’t want to kiss you?” her eyes widen in shock by her own admission, “I mean… uh…” she looks down at the floor quickly to avoid my gaze, her hand hiding her face.

I laugh at her sudden embarrassment, “I have a feeling not many people see it the way you do. I’m just some shy cliché hipster nerd.”

She glances over at me, “Nerds are hot.”

_Are they? That’s not a sentiment I’ve come across too often._

“This guy named Warren keeps hanging around and I think he might want to do that kind of thing, but I see him as a friend. He sure is persistent though.”

Chloe nods sympathetically, “Boys are hella gross.”

I raise an eyebrow, “Oh, really?”

She smiles, “Trust me on that.”

I tilt my head to the side in thought, idly fiddling with my shoe lace, “I guess I just haven’t found the right person yet. I want my first kiss to be with someone who’s sweet and kind, someone who just accepts me for who I am… I guess someone like you.”

_Oh shit. That sounds like a total stalkery thing to say. What were you thinking, Max?_

Chloe’s eyebrows shoot up and her voice wavers, “Like… me?”

I stare at the floor, trying desperately to hide the obvious redness of my cheeks, “Yeah. I mean… you seem like a nice person who cares about others and accept them for who they are and you're kind of pretty… at least I reckon most people would think that… and…”

_Just stop talking, Max. You’re digging a hole you can’t easily get out of._

I bite my lip, trying to stop the rest of my creepy monologue falling from my lips. Chloe goes quiet for a few moments.

_She probably thinks I am a total creep by now. I’m surprised she hasn’t before now to be honest._

I glance over at her to see that she has an unreadable expression on her face, “Well, that… could be arranged if you wanted. I wouldn’t be opposed to the idea by any means. In fact, I’d be quite flattered if a beautiful woman such as yourself would even consider it.”

_I’m sure she’s just saying that to be nice. Even so… it’s nice to hear._

Her words make my heart race as I rub the back of my neck with my hand, “I’d h-hardly say I was beautiful.”

Chloe nudges my arm gently, her hand lingering there longer than usual, “You are. Along with smart, talented and all the other things you’d probably hit me for not mentioning. Don’t go dissin’ my taste girl. I like to think of myself as a connoisseur when it comes to pretty ladies.”

I raise an eyebrow in amusement, “A connoisseur, huh?”

“Damn right!”

I clear my throat, “I-if you’re ok with that… then I might take you up on that offer.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

We both sit there awkwardly for a moment, unsure of how to start this.

_It’s one thing to say it… another thing to do it._

Chloe suddenly leans over and gently presses her lips against mine. I am in shock for a few moments, my brain short circuiting. Then I find myself returning her kiss, slowly moving my lips against hers.

_It’s such a sweet and tender kiss, not really what I was expecting in a good way. I mean, you see in the movies where people are literally eating each other’s faces violently… it kind of put me off in a way. This… this is so much better._

Her hand finds mine, intertwining our fingers. My mind is in overload right now. None of this is processing properly. I feel her, but it doesn’t register. Then just as my mind finally decides to accept what’s happening, she is gone. When I open my eyes again, I see that flowers have gone into bloom around us, the sun casts a dusky orange haze over us as the scent of fresh grass permeates the air. A gentle soothing breeze ruffles my hair, carrying leaves with it.

Chloe places her forehead against mine, gazing into my eyes as a slight blush forms on her cheeks, “It’s kind of connected to my emotions as well at the minute,” the gold and purple in her eyes dances, the blue glow on her skin more prominent than before.

I tentatively reach out and tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, “At least I can see you enjoyed it.”

She swallows hard, uncertainty entering her dazzling eyes, “D-did you?”

_I can’t describe it. It felt so… right. Like I was home._

“I did, a lot.”

She exhales sharply, “Good, it’s a bit hard when I can’t see those flowers in your head blooming and shit.”

I nudge her playfully, “Well, aren’t you a poet.”

She grins at me, “I do my best.”

I go to lean in again, but I suddenly lose control of my body and collapse.

* * *

**_The voice is back again. It mutters and mummers. A light pressure on my shoulders… my body shakes, as if someone is trying to wake me. The voice is desperate and at breaking point. It is slightly clearer than before, still not clear enough to work out who is speaking. It echoes around me, faint whispers also start to become noticeable, again it is not clear what they are saying._ **

**_“Max… Max… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… please don’t… I can’t… without you… wake up…”_ **

**_They seem to be saying the same thing as before, but I can hear more of the words this time. I’m still not sure what they are saying. A steady bleep can be heard, a chemical smell fills the air. My eyes flicker slightly, white… so white and bright. More muffled voices… a shadow._ **

**_“MAX!”_ **

* * *

My eyes open, the piercing light too much for them to handle. I shut them again and feel something stroking my hair gently, “Max?”

I open them again a fraction to see Chloe’s worried face appear in my blurred vision. My head is placed in her lap as I lay on the forest floor. I slowly sit up, my head throbbing and causing me to groan in pain. The second I am in an upright position, Chloe launches herself at me and hugs me tight, “Oh thank god. I was so worried.”

I feel weak as I lean my spinning head against her, the smell of beer and cigarettes clinging to her jacket as I mumble into her shoulder, “I’m ok… just give me a minute.”

_I just want to stay like this forever… not with the headache and all, but just with her._

After a few moments I lift my head a fraction to meet her eye, “I had another weird trippy voice thing.”

“Yeah?”

I nod my head slightly, which really doesn’t help my head, “Yeah. I don’t get what is happening. My brain is so fried. I think for a minute, I was back there in the hospital room. I could hear more, smell things, briefly see something…” I move my head off of her shoulder once it doesn’t feel like it’s going to explode.

Chloe’s eyes widen as they fall on my face, “Max… your nose…” I reach up and feel a warm sticky substance running from it and bring my hand away to see my fingertips covered in blood. Chloe shoves her hand in her pocket and produces a tissue. She holds it to my nose, gently dabbing, using her free hand to hold my head steady as she looks at me apologetically, “It’s not usually this bad… sorry.”

_She shouldn’t be apologizing. There is nothing she can do about it._

“It’s not your fault.”

She offers me a sad smile, one that doesn’t seem convinced by my dismissal, “Yeah…”

The blood flow seems to stop a bit and the dull ache in my head dies down a considerable amount, enough that I can actually think properly. Chloe gently attends to my nose, her fingers delicately moving over my skin, “Too much excitement for one day?” she continues to wipe the blood off of my face.

“It appears so. Thanks for… everything.”

Satisfied that she has cleaned me up, her hand touches my cheek and she tentatively leans in closer, pressing her lips on once mine again very briefly, “Anytime.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That one was nice to write. I hope you enjoyed it and see you next time. Stay safe out there.


	7. Unanswered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Chloe being really busy with her work, Max is left alone with her thoughts. She uses this time to start seriously working on getting down to the bottom of how she got here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. I present to you the next instalment in this story.  
> Enjoy.

**Chapter Seven: Unanswered**

The floor is littered with crumpled up pieces of paper covered in scribbled out words as I sit at Chloe’s desk, almost pulling my hair out. She’s off on her job and I’m here, waiting for her to come back. She had a lot to catch up on, so hasn’t really been here all week.

_World of Dead time – note to self: I need to work out conversions… ugh Maths._

I haven’t really seen too much of her lately because of her work. Usually I get to have a chat with her when she comes back. She crawls into bed beside me and snuggles up, chatting away until she falls asleep. A smile tugs at the corner of my lips at this thought.

_These are the times I wait for every day, where I can just chill out with her for a bit. It’s been getting harder to get some down time recently. She’s been working so hard… I bet spending all that time with me didn’t help her work load._

A pang of guilt enters the pit of my stomach.

_I shouldn’t have distracted her so much, but she just seemed so… happy when we were doing things. I guess she’s just lonely. I can relate to that. Too many times I’ve been alone. The thing is, even when I’m around people, I still feel like it. I can’t seem to connect with people, not properly… not like when I’m with Chloe. When she is here, I could never be lonely._

I bring the lid of the pen to my mouth and chew on it… a bad habit of mine. I could have explored this place a bit more, but this has been the perfect opportunity to review everything I’ve found out so far. Turns out, it’s not so easy. I had a quick flick through my journal, mostly of it being mindless rambling about Blackwell, doodles, cheesy puns and photos. It did help me remember a bit, nothing too helpful though.

_Nothing telling me what happened at least._

I scan the room, seeing the mess I’ve made, not that it wasn’t messy before mind you. All the abandoned clues and theories…

_Maybe I can make some sense of all this… somehow. Maybe I can get Chloe to help, but she has her own stuff to deal with. No, I have to work this out on my own._

I mindlessly doodle on the page, like I always end up doing when I’m trying to work. My mind is frazzled from trying to recall everything that has happened.

_I’m gonna need a mental enema after all this._

I lean back in Chloe’s desk chair and stare up at the ceiling. The chair creaks under the extra pressure as I rub my eyes with my hand and exhale.

_I really have to figure out what’s going on. What do I know so far?_

I sit back properly, looking down at the accumulating pile of papers on the desk, “Ok, so the first thing I remember is waking up in the Chloe’s office. That’s a good starting point.”

I scribble away, crossing things out and screwing up more pieces of paper in frustration, tossing them on the floor. After dog knows how much paper, several choice swear words and a massive headache later I have a semi-coherent summary of everything that has happened since I’ve been here. I’m quite impressed actually, it looks more organized than my actual assignment notes. I pick up the paper in my hands, squinting to read my handwriting as my eyes roam over the words I have written. My handwriting started off neatly with all the best intentions, but slowly has descended into a state of disarray. It looks like a secret code. I sit there, trying to decipher it.

* * *

**Crazy shit that has happened:**

-          Woke up in office Procrastination central

-          In a coma (WTF?!) – admin problems? (I guess everyone makes mistakes)

-          How long have I been here? Too long or not long enough? Time runs slower here… so do I have more time? Is my ‘body’ older than I am here? What even am I right now? Am I me anymore? – file these thoughts under: **Never think about again – headache material**

-          How did I get here? – car crash? seems most likely – will I ever know? Do I even want to know? Ignorance is bliss… ‘One day your life will flash before your eyes…’

-          No-one sleeps here… then again, neither do I – Max the Hypocrite – ‘I can’t sleep’

-          Epic film memory archive – how many memories are there?

-          Café – ‘dead’ version of Two Whales – more people visit here, more ‘alive’ – the irony

-          12 reapers, met 3… Who are the other 9? all have own animals/tats – tradition

-          Weird voices in my head – now I sound crazy…maybe I am

o   Who is it? – ‘Hello from the other side…’

o   Makes my head hurt/nose bleeds – hoping this will stop, I only have so much blood.

o   More revealed each time – **“Max… Max… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… please don’t… I can’t… without you… wake up… MAX!”** \- latest edition – to be continued… hopefully – don’t need more cliff hangers in my life

o   Beeping (heart monitor/bomb – why would it be a bomb? You’ve watched too many films, Max)/antiseptic smell (hate this, makes my skin crawl)/white and bright (light at the end of the tunnel – signal passing/something else - hospital room?)/shadow (who? – doctor/visitor?)

  * My soul wanders, rejected and denied, a weary traveller seeking rest (look at the beat poet)… ‘Not all those who wander are lost…’



o   Asleep/Near Chloe/Touched necklace – trigger memory? (Or is it a vision? Of what?)

-          “Changing” room (needs cooler name, come on big brain think!) – awesome

o   Stared a bit too long - I am such a perv

o   Hella (are you cereal, Chloe?) splish splash war

o   S’mores – yum – managed to burn mine of course, Chloe offered me hers… Chivalry ain’t dead

**Who’s who…**

**Chloe**

-          Grim Reaper - shouldn’t Death be cold?

-          Necklace – resurrect people. Used 2 bullets – Dad (car crash - 13) and Rachel (creepy murderer – killed – 18?). 1 more life line left. One glows blue – what’s up with that?

o   Same blue as lines on skin – affected by emotion? Same with eyes, pretty eyes… and the rest - ‘Beautiful Blue-Haired Babe’

-          Sketchy on details surrounding Grim Reaper – how did she become one?

o   Inherited/apply/randomly chosen – not so lucky dip?/weird occult ritual (you never know – again, watching too many movies)

-          Butterfly form to go to world of Living (No cloak of invisibility for thee) – human form hard to keep up in Living World… hmmm.

-          Hates **straight** coffee – guess that makes sense… YOLO!

-          Kick ass tattoo – contract (18) – started training at 13? How old is she now? 18/19? Is it human years… or dog years?

-          Shrouded in mystery… slowly lowering guard

-          ‘BOOYAH!’ – scary punk ~~asshole~~ ghost

-          Lonely?

-          Everybody owes someone…

-          ‘Captain Chloe’ – kids love her – she is a big kid herself

-          Unpredictable – part of her charm

-          Flirt (is it getting hot in here?)

-          Beautiful singing voice – shame she doesn’t sing more often – suggest more guitar jamming sessions?

-          Forest – special place – first kiss... mine too – moved away (13) - so sad, don’t like seeing her sad

-          ‘Nerds are hot’ :)

**Kate**

-          Café owner

-          Has a thing for Victoria (Max the Super Sleuth… not. Elementary!) – confirmed - bye bye café mugs when Victoria is around – über cute

-          Makes awesome waffles (Marry me! – maybe not… Victoria might kill me, can I even be killed in this state? I’m sure she’d find a way… not about to test it.)

-          ‘Angel’/’Marshmallow’ – suits her

**Victoria**

-          Keeps everyone in order aka. scares the shit out of them… apart from Kate - smiles a lot more when she’s around – just a nerd in love

o   S.S. Chasemarsh has sailed and officially become canon – I will go down with this ship! – expect dirty fanfics/art? (Chloe is so gonna get hit one day)

-          ‘Demon’/‘Devil’ – remember not to call her these

-          Obsessed with color co-ordination

**Randi (Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindoe – never let him see this!) and Lee**

-          Previous Grim Reapers (Doe and Fox) - 2 down…

-          Now I see where Chloe gets it from…

-          Chloe - ‘He’s the only family I really have now’ – what does this mean?

o   Not biological family… unless things go down differently here? Not human, so who knows?

-          So cute together

-          Tease Chloe – favorite pastime… payback is a bitch

**To do:**

-          Find out more about Chloe – what’s going on in her head?

-          Find out how got here – what? I’m nosy.

-          Enjoy time here – easy to do, especially with a certain ‘Beautiful Blue-haired Babe’ eye candy :p – who said Death isn’t glamorous?

* * *

I tap the pen on Chloe’s desk, looking at the whole picture, “Well, that’s a start I guess,” I mumble as I fold the piece of paper up and shove it in my bag.

_Everything is still mixed up in my head. I have no clue how I ended up here… but does it really matter? I’m here now and I just have to put all the pieces together._

The door creaks open and I turn my head and smile to myself as I see a black cloaked figure enter the room, “Hey, Chloe.”

She pulls down her black hood, shaking her head to get her faded blue hair sorted out, then gives me a tired smile, “Hey, Max. Hope you weren’t too bored waiting here on your own. You better not have had a party while I was away.”

_If anything, I had too much to do._

“Is it that obvious? It’s fine. I had some time to… think about stuff.”

She hangs her cloak behind the door, resting her scythe against the wall and walks up to me, standing for a few seconds not doing anything, then awkwardly holds out her arms. I shake my head, smiling at her apprehension and stand up. I walk round and wrap my arms around her, hugging her.

_It’s been a few days since we kissed for the first time. It was… I don’t even know how to describe it. It just made all my insides feel weird and I was smiling like a huge dork for hours (ok maybe days) after. We’ve been kind of unsure of how to proceed really. We’ve been slowly doing stuff, like small touches and little kisses. She’s as oblivious to this kind of thing as I am._

When we break apart, she stares at me for a moment, then leans down tentatively and kisses me. It’s very light and I hardly feel it, but I know it happened.

_We are both so shy. Chloe may seem to be confident, but it’s all bravado. Deep down, she’s probably more insecure than me._

I shake my head, standing on my tiptoes and kiss her again, this time longer. I move my lips against hers, just enjoying the moment. Her hands begin to wander along my back and I can feel her fingernails through the fabric of my shirt. Chloe is trying to suppress laughter, I can feel her doing it and pull away, one eye brow raised questioningly, “What?”

She offers me a charming smile, “I think it’s cute how you have to stand on your tiptoes.”

I roll my eyes at her, smiling, “Well, not all of us have been graced with the attribute of height. What else am I supposed to-?”

My words are cut off when Chloe picks me up and sits my down on the edge of her desk. She holds onto my cheeks and leans in, moving her lips against mine. It is rougher than the first time, yet it still retains its sweetness. I wrap my arms around her neck, pulling her in as I reach up and take off her beanie. I throw it onto the floor and tangle my fingers in her faded blue her, gently scratching at her scalp. She hums in approval, leaning in closer. Her body presses against me, the warmth radiating from her and mingling with my own. I kind of forget how to breathe for a few moments.

_Another thing I can add to the list of things I never thought I’d be doing. How the hell did I even get to this stage? I mean, Chloe is way out of my league. Why would she even give me a second glance? It doesn’t make sense… not that I’m complaining._

Chloe pulls away, smirking at me, absentmindedly wrapping a strand of my hair round her finger. Her skin glows slightly, her eyes sparkling with the purple and gold tints, “I’ll get you a box next time.”

I playfully push her, “Don’t you dare! I will so hit you.”

Chloe laughs heartily as she rests her forehead against mine, her hands on either side of my thighs on the desk as she gazes deeply into my eyes.

_They say the eyes are the window to the soul. Maybe if I stare in them long enough I’ll see it. Everything she is thinking and feeling, all the shit she has experienced… or maybe I’ll just go mad. Either way, I’d be willing to try._

Her eyes flicker with amusement and her lips turns upwards into a lop-sided smile, “Aren’t we living the fantasy, huh? Hot steamy make out sessions in an office, seems like the start of many a smutty fanfiction… especially the whole teacher/student set up.”

_Of course she’d think up something like that._

“Ok, Professor Price, teach me everything you know.”

Chloe bursts out laughing, removing her forehead from mine. She gasps for air, wiping tears from her eyes. When she finally catches her breath, she grins, “Oh, damn. Max, you really are a strange one.”

“I resent that remark. Just to let you know, I am not so easily seduced.”

She raises an eyebrow and smirks at me, “I don’t back down from a challenge. Just you wait, I’ll charm those pants right off of you,” she taps my nose lightly.

“Hey, I’m supposed to be the ‘sleazy asshole’, remember?”

Chloe offers me a lop-sided toothy grin, “Well, you’d better start acting like it then, you’re fooling no-one with those heart-eyes.”

I roll my eyes at her, “I so am not making heart-eyes.”

_Shit. Am I being really obvious? Great._

She nudges my shoulder, “Oh, puh-lease. You’re being hella obvious.”

I take her hands, playing with them gently. I push her fingers around, exploring the terrain of her skin. Her hands are bigger than mine, chipped blue nail polish on her nails. I twirl the small ring on her right hand around between my fingers and thumb. It rotates on her finger as I move it, “I know we haven’t known each other for that long, but I just feel so happy and safe around you.”

She laughs, “You use that line on everyone, Caulfield? Almost as good as the ‘Do I know you from somewhere?’ line. Are the only words that come out of your mouth cheesy lines and puns?”

I cross my arms and pout defiantly, “It’s true though. That’s the last time I say anything nice.”

Chloe looks down at her boots as she taps her foot nervously on the floor and gives my hands a squeeze. She leans her face closer to me, her lips inches from mine, her eyes showing me everything she is feeling in this current moment, excitement, anticipation… fear.

“Look, I’m not great with all this mushy shit. I’ve been… keeping everything locked away for so long, because it’s easier not to feel sometimes, you know? You don’t survive for too long with your sanity intact in this job if you… let emotions get in the way,” she gives me a sheepish smile, “To be honest it’s taking a lot to not just bolt out of this door right now… run away from all these weird feelings... like I’ve always done.”

_I get that. It’s fine when you’re living the high life, but when everything goes to shit… sometimes you shut down, suppress everything and just ignore it. Then it just becomes a habit… all bottling up, until you unravel. You can only do it for so long…_

Her eyes pierce mine, her voice hesitant and wavering, “I’ve been running for so long from myself that… I’m scared of finally opening up to someone, showing someone all the fucked up shit in my head… worried that no-one will be able to handle it. Sometimes I wonder how even I keep it together. I want to and I’m… I’m trying. I can’t keep walling myself off from everyone, not letting anyone get close because I… don’t want to get hurt… or hurt someone else…” she worries her lip between her teeth, “…hurt you,” she sighs, closing her eyes momentarily, “What I’m trying to say in a really inefficient way is… maybe I kind of feel… good around you too.”

Her words cause my heart to flutter, my voice gets caught up in my throat. Her breath warms my skin. It smells of mint, I guess she must have had some gum or something.

_Every little thing she does affects me so much. I haven’t experienced anything like this before… ever. Normally any amount of intimacy is lost on me. I just want to ignore it completely, pretend it’s not happening… I still feel a little bit overwhelmed right now… but I want this._

After swallowing hard, I finally manage to croak out something to retaliate, “You’d better.”

Chloe presses her lips against mine again. Her kiss this time is equal parts desperation and gentleness.

_She’s lonely, desperate for some kind of emotional connection… but also terrified of it. When she finds it, she grips on tightly, refusing to let go, scared she will lose it if she looks away for a second, realize that it was all in her head… a coping mechanism to hide from the cruel world she lives… or maybe dies in._

I put everything I have into that one kiss, to reassure her and myself that this is real… lose myself in her…

I hear a gasp. Chloe turns around quickly to reveal Kate and Victoria standing there, both looking shocked. Victoria step inside, her brow furrowed and her lips pursed. She crosses her arms, adopting an imposing stance. I feel my cheeks heat up considerably at being caught like this. Chloe has a slight flush, but is keeping her composure better than I do. She stares defiantly at Victoria, no hint of fear.

When Victoria speaks, her voice is questioning and confident, yet there is a very slight hint of worry, “Price. What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Kate squeals, beaming at us triumphantly, “I knew it. I knew there was something going on between you two.”

I look down at the floor to hide my embarrassment, shuffling a bit on the desk.

Victoria stares Chloe down, “Price, you know the rules. You aren’t allowed to ‘affiliate’ in that way with the Living. You know that.”

Chloe shrug, her voice quiet, “Technically she’s not…”

Victoria runs her hand tiredly through her short blonde hair, sighing deeply, “If someone catches you, you are in big trouble. What the hell were you thinking? The door was wide open,” she motions to the door leading to the main corridor.

Chloe scowls at her, her voice full of anger and slowly rising in volume as she throws her hands in the air, “So what? You gonna rat on me? Just fuck me over like everyone else has? Go on then. I don’t care.”

Victoria grits her teeth, her body tensing up at Chloe’s hostility, “Chloe, this is a big thing. You know how they view it, they aren’t very lenient. They’ll see it as interfering. Max is **_not_** dead, she’s alive. She doesn’t belong here. You already have a strike on your record because of saving Rachel by killing that bastard. You can’t afford to have another one.”

Chloe clenches her fists while shaking her head, “What, so I’m just supposed to push away someone who makes me feel fucking happy? Makes me feel not so alone anymore? No way.”

Victoria draws to her fullest height, starting her down, but seems to falter slightly, “You know this is a bad idea. Think about it,” she gives Chloe a meaningful gaze. It’s not even angry, not really. It’s more sympathetic than anything.

Chloe glares at her, her voice low, but full of rage, “I am sick and fucking tired of everyone trying to ‘help’. I can look after myself.”

Victoria sighs, “I have seen evidence to suggest otherwise.”

Chloe squares her up, pointing threateningly at her. I have never seen her this angry. Her eyes are so dark, yet the gold burns brightly.

_It’s kind of scary._

“You are treading on some very thin ice. Fuck, this is my… well it’s not even really a life is it? Whatever it is, it is mine to fuck up. You’re fine, you can do what the fuck you want with Kate, no restrictions apply… but I can’t? What did I ever do to deserve that?” Chloe’s body shakes with anger, tears threatening to fall from her eyes, “WHY CAN’T I BE WITH THE ONE FUCKING PERSON WHO MAKES ME FEEL ALIVE!!!”

Her voice reverberates around the small office. Victoria falters, looking away slightly from Chloe’s intense stare, her eyes showing sympathy for a few seconds. Kate grabs onto Victoria’s arm, trying to diffuse the tension. Victoria looks to Kate, then me and finally at Chloe. Her face softens as she sighs in defeat, “Fine, it’s your death,” with that, she storms out.

Chloe sighs and runs her hand through her hair. Before I have a chance to say anything, she exits chasing after Victoria. I stand in Chloe’s office completely perplexed and wondering what the hell just happened.

_That was…_

I rub the back of my neck anxiously and turn to Kate, “They… uh… fight like that often?”

She offers me a sad concerned smile, “They always fight, but never usually that bad. I’d give it an 8 on the scale. It’s the second largest fight I’ve seen them get into. They have a kind of love-hate relationship, like sisters really. The fact that they have seen each other at their worst and still talk just goes to show how much they care.”

_Chloe seemed really angry… also scared. Chloe…_

I motion to the door with my head, “I should… go see if she’s ok.”

Kate nods in agreement, “Go on, Max. Victoria probably went to her office. She always goes into this super focused work mode when she’s angry. It helps her calm down a bit. It is just down the corridor, past all the grim reapers doors,” she offers me a small smile. I go to exit Chloe’s office, but her voice brings me back, “Oh, and later we are going to have a proper chat about this. It’s my turn to interrogate you.”

I clear my throat nervously, “S-sure.”

_Fair is fair._

I leave and begin to walk down the long corridor, my mind racing at the sudden turn of events.

_That was a really intense fight. I think Victoria is just worried, but doesn’t know how to show that she is without shouting at Chloe, something Chloe doesn’t respond very well to. What is going on in this place?_

I make my way down the corridor until I reach Victoria’s room and hear muffled voices coming from behind the office door.

_Do I listen in? It feels wrong, but I want to know._

I position myself next to the door so I can see inside the room through the small crack. Chloe paces up and down, while Victoria leans against her desk. This room is a lot tidier than Chloe’s, not that it’s a hard feat. The setup is similar though, the same desk, computer and chair.

Victoria’s voice reaches my ear, “…you know this is going to end terribly, you’re going to get hurt really badly. I can’t see you go through something like that again. It nearly fucking destroyed you the first time. Now is going to be even worse. What if…?”

Chloe throws her hands up in frustration, “What if? That is all I ever think about and it drives me fucking insane. What if I had done things differently? I am sick and tired of thinking like that. I am done not taking chances and being happy because of what ifs.”

Victoria sighs, “Chloe… I’m not trying to back you into a corner here. I’m… worried.”

Chloe’s anger dissipates and she stops pacing. Her body sags as she speaks, almost sounding as if she is about to cry, “Don’t worry about me. I-I’m fine.”

Victoria puts her hands on Chloe’s shoulders, causing her to lift her head. Victoria’s expression is one of concern, her eyes begging Chloe to listen to her, “Yeah, for now you are. What happens when everything goes to shit?”

Chloe shakes her head slowly, her voice getting quieter and more mumbled as she speaks. Her eyes are so desperate, like she is trying to convince Victoria… and herself, “It… it won’t.”

Victoria grips on tighter to her shoulders, “It fucking will and you know it. Look, if you want to keep following this pipe dream, then be my guest, but take it from me, it’s not going to last.”

Chloe mutters, “Then I’ll… enjoy it while I can.”

Victoria has nothing to say to this. She just wraps her arms around Chloe, hugging her tightly. Chloe clings on, hiding her head in Victoria’s shoulder, “It’s not fucking fair.”

Victoria tightens her grip on Chloe, holding her close as she weeps, her voice soothing, “I know, Chloe. I know.”

Her hands clench, grasping onto Victoria for dear life, “Why? Why does it have to be like this? Why?!”

Victoria sighs as Chloe buries her head into her shoulder, “I have no idea. I wish I had answers for you.”

I step back away from the door. Chloe’s sobs leak out into the corridor and tear through me.

_Fuck…_

My heart feels heavy and I rub my face with my hands, her sobs still audible as I make my way back to her office.

_I hate seeing her sad like that. It feels like my heart is being ripped out. Goddamn it._

When I enter Chloe’s office again, Kate looks at me expectantly, “What’s up? You look a bit worried. You ok?”

I bite my lip, worrying it between my teeth, “Chloe just broke down in Victoria’s office.”

Kate’s eyes widen with concern, “What?! Is she ok?”

_I hope so._

I grab my right arm with my hand. The action comforts me slightly… it always does when I’m feeling helpless, “Victoria’s there with her. I… didn’t want to interrupt. It seemed serious.”

Kate sighs and begins to play with the golden cross dangling from her neck, “Chloe has been through a lot. I don’t know all the details, but what I do know is that Victoria has been there for her. She’s known Chloe for a while now and even when they fight, they always make up and help each other out,” she looks out into the corridor then glances back at me, “I’ll go down there. See you later, Max.”

I wave her off and go into Chloe’s bedroom, perching myself on the edge of her bed as I wait for her to come back. Her pained sobs still resound in my head as I sit there.

_I don’t even know what to make of all this… I wish Chloe would open up to me. I’m so worried about her. I guess all the emotions have exploded…_

I hear the office door creak open as heavy footsteps make their way into the room, the floor board creaking under the weight.

“Max?” Chloe’s exhausted voice calls out to me from the main office.

“I’m in the bedroom,” I reply.

The door opens and Chloe stands there. When she spots me, she smiles… but the smile is sadder than usual. She flops down beside me and places an arm around me. I rest my head on her shoulder and she rests hers against mine, “Sorry you had to see that, Max. Victoria and I have heated clashes all the time, usually over stupid shit.”

“It’s ok,” I whisper as Chloe grabs onto my hand for reassurance, her hand shaking in mine.

_What were they arguing about? The more time that passes, the more I wonder what the hell is happening. My presence seems to have caused quite the stir among everyone. Chloe… I wish there was something I could do… but you have to open up to me first. Maybe soon… soon she can tell me everything._

Her breathing becomes shuddery and I glance over at her to see the tears fall from her eyes, rolling down onto her cheeks. I lean over to her and diligently kiss them away. They taste slightly salty against my lips. As her tears begin to dry up, she gives me a small sad smile. I guide her down to a laying position on the bed, snuggling up close facing her. She rests her forehead against mine, the tears continuing to fall, but not as much as before. I reach out and touch her cheek. She closes her eyes and leans into my touch, placing her hand over mine as she exhales sharply, “Sorry.”

_She has nothing to be sorry for._

“No need to be sorry.”

She lets out a half-hearted laugh, “You didn’t sign up for all this emotional baggage. It’s not fair on you, especially after everything you’ve been through.”

_Chloe has helped me. I had no clue where I was and I was freaking out. She took the time to make sure I was ok. How could I leave her in this state?_

I shake my head slightly, shifting closer, “You’ve been here to keep me company and guide me through everything… now it’s my turn to do it for you.”

Chloe gives me a gentle smile, “You are such a nerd.”

“Damn right.”

_Maybe one day the pain will leave her eyes._

As we lay there in silence, Chloe’s breathing eventually becomes even, her eyes close and her grip loosens…

_She could probably do with a good night’s sleep._

I feel around for the blanket with my foot and manage to manoeuvre it onto us. I stare at her sleeping, tear streaked face. She looks so stress free and relaxed, without a care in the world…. My heart hurts from the way her voice trembled before, the words born from fear….

“What happened to you?” I whisper into the silence, but my question remains unanswered.

_What can I do for her? What can I do to make the hurt and pain lessen? For her to smile with carefree ease?_

My eyes begin to close… sleep taking me.

_I guess just be here for her, hold her when she cries and make her smile…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that one was an emotional rollercoaster… Hope you enjoyed it and I’ll see you next time.


	8. Where I Can't Follow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe has something important to discuss with Max, as does Randi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello you beautiful people. I hope you’re having an amazing day. Here is the next chapter, sorry it’s been a while. The lyrics used come from Aurora - Runaway.  
> Wow, we are so close to 100 kudos, which is awesome. Thank you to all of you for reading.  
> Enjoy.

**Chapter Eight: Where I Can’t Follow**

**_“Max… come on…”_ **

**_The voice seems more distant this time. I listen hard, staring into the unyielding darkness. The voice’s tone becomes darker and thicker as it speaks and the pressure on my shoulder is more than before, I can feel it. A warmth envelops me, someone is holding me tight, something wet drips down onto my face and runs down my cheek. Then, the voice gets louder. It seems familiar to me, yet I can’t quite put a face to it._ **

**_“Max, please… Max… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean for… please don’t leave me… I can’t do this without you… wake up…”_ **

**_My eyes flicker open, my vision blurred. My eyes burn from the piercing whiteness. I hear hushed muttering and the electronic beep again, the pace isn’t as steady or smooth as last time. The antiseptic smell fills my senses. I turn my head slightly and see someone sat there. I can’t distinguish their features. People I assume to be doctors mill around me. The bright white light makes it so hard to see, I squint, trying to make everything out… but as soon as I focus, everything goes black again._ **

**_“MAX!!!!”_ **

* * *

My eyes open again, but this time I am staring up at a ceiling I have come to recognize. The white blinding light has vanished, replaced with natural sunlight seeping through a small window. My head is pounding right now, a dull aching pain filling my mind. I close my eyes in a vain attempt to stop the throbbing while clutching at my head and curl up into a ball.

A familiar worried voice breaks the silence, “Max? Hey… are you ok?”

I don’t answer. I can’t even think, let alone speak as more indiscernible panicked voices reverberate in my mind.

* * *

**_“…unstable… send… quickly… blood…”_ **

* * *

Just as I think my head is about to explode, I become aware of someone stroking my hair. The action seems to alleviate the pain enough for me to open my eyes a fraction to see Chloe’s fearful eyes staring back, “Max?”

I shift on the bed so as to face her properly, her eyes widening as she stares at me, “Your nose is bleeding again.”

When I finally feel able to move properly, I reach up to my nose with my hand and dab at my nose. I stare down at it to find my fingertips covered in fresh blood.

Almost instantly, Chloe reaches over to her bedside table and grabs a couple of tissues. She takes hold of my chin with one hand and gently wipes at my nose with the other, taking great care with the task, “It’s a good thing I keep tissues by the bed for… emergencies,” she winks and grins cheekily at me.

I would have shaken my head at her if it wasn’t still throbbing, “You are out of control.”

“Yep. I am fucking insane in the brain,” she chuckles as she grabs a cup from the side and takes it into the bathroom. As I hear the water run and hit the basin of the sink, I cover my eyes and exhale deeply.

_I am being drip fed information. What is this all supposed to mean? Is this happening or has it already happened… or is it a sign of something to come?_

The bed dips beside me and I lift my hand off my eyes to see Chloe dipping some of the tissue into the cup full of warm water. As she begins to wipe the worst of the blood off my face she sighs, her voice low and quiet, “I’m… I’m sorry you have to go through this, Max.”

I reach out and place my hand reassuringly on her cheek, “It’s ok. It was an accident that I came here, so you don’t have to be sorry.”

She leans into my touch, closing her eyes momentarily, “Yeah.”

_Is this only going to get worse?_

Her fingertips lightly brush against my skin as she continues diligently wiping the blood away. After a few moments she exhales sharply and looks me straight in the eyes, the purple and gold highlights are non-existent at this point, completely lost in the sea of dark blue, “We need to get you back soon. Your body probably isn’t going to take much more of this. You’ve had these weird episodes, maybe flashes from your hospital room… it has to stop before… well…” she doesn’t finish her sentence, biting her lip to stem the flow of words.

_If I go back… Chloe can’t follow. I don’t want that._

My heart goes into overdrive at this thought and I shake my head, which only makes the aching worse. I grit my teeth and rub my temples, “I’m fine.”

Chloe stops dabbing at my nose momentarily and gives me a skeptical look, “You aren’t fine. This is not fine. None of this is fine,” her voice begins to escalate, “You shouldn’t be going through this. There is no reason for you to get hurt like this…” her voice breaks at the end and she takes a deep breath, stroking my cheek gently, “I just… I don’t like seeing you like this.”

_It’s sweet that she’s worried._

I place my hand over hers, “Chloe, I don’t want to go back, not yet.”

_Maybe I don’t ever want to go back._

A small smile tugs at her lips as she finishes off cleaning me up. Once satisfied with her work, she empties the cup into the bathroom sink and come back into the bedroom, getting snuggled back up close to me.

We lay there for a few moments staring up at the ceiling, the light from the bedroom window pours into the room. Chloe has gone uncharacteristically quiet all of a sudden.

_There must be something on her mind._

Sure enough, a few moments later she speaks up, her voice extremely hesitant, “Max…”

I turn to face her again, “Yeah?”

She shifts a bit closer to me, her eyes filled with uncertainty as she gathers her thoughts. I lay there patiently, waiting for her to continue, “Before, you asked me how I… how I became a Grim Reaper.”

_I remember asking before, but she wasn’t ready to talk about it._

I nod, “Yeah.”

She bites her lip and begins worrying it between her teeth. Her body seems to almost turn inwards on itself, her shoulder hunching up defensively as she lays there. In this moment, she is at her most vulnerable. In an attempt to reassure her, I grab onto her hand and rub it gently with my thumb. She takes my hand and places a small kiss on it before exhaling deeply, “I was kind of an anomaly. Usually, people are trained from birth and they are… not human.”

_Not human? Does that mean…?_

My brow furrows in confusion, “What do you mean?”

Chloe has a very troubled expression on her face as she hesitantly presses on, “I wasn’t born here… for the first thirteen or so years of my life, I was in the Living world.”

_Wait… what?_

My eyes widen slightly in shock at the implications of her admission and my eyebrows raise as I lay there stunned, trying to process what she is telling me right now.

_That might explain the way she behaves. She certainly acts more “human” than I would have expected._

I don’t say a word, wanting her to finish off before commenting. She looks over at me tentatively, her eyes so dark, “It all started when my dad and I went to go pick mom up from the store. Some… drunk asshole rammed us off the road. I was lucky. I got away with a few cuts and bruises, but dad…” she lets out a deep shuddery breath and closes her eyes, her mind reeling with the painful memories. I squeeze her hand to comfort her, one she returns before continuing, “Randi came to take Dad, but when he got there he saw a young girl crying over her dad’s body.”

_I can’t even imagine how horrible this would have been for her. No wonder she always looks so damn sad when she doesn’t think I’m looking. Chloe…_

It looks like she might lose it any second now, but she clears her throat in an attempt to compose herself, “He felt sorry for me and wanted to help, but he had already used his three lifelines. So, he offered me the opportunity to become his successor. Then I could use one of the resurrections on Dad. Usually you can’t use them until you’re eighteen, but he bent more than a few rules that day,” she smiles a little at this.

_Randi seems like a good guy. No wonder Chloe looks up to him so much._

“He explained everything and made sure I understood. Of course, I accepted. If I could save Dad I would do anything,” her face contorts in pain suddenly, the smile long gone from her face, “Of course, they had to wipe my dad’s memories, as well as those around him who knew about me… like my mom. I wasn’t going to be in the world of the Living anymore, so I had to completely remove my existence from it… every single last trace.”

_Wowser. That must have been hard to do, to completely uproot your life, get used to a different world where you don’t really know anyone, especially at that age._

Chloe plays with my fingers, pushing them gently and focusing on them, “I had to adjust to the world of the Dead. It was… painful, especially the first time. I wasn’t supposed to be there, and my body was insistent on making me know that,” she looks up at me, her eyes downcast, “I’ve spent so much time having to adjust here, that’s why I can’t really spend much time in the Living world. Most grim reapers can travel without consequence, but because of the uniqueness of my situation that doesn’t really count for me,” she sighs and is silent for a few moments. I place a tender kiss on her cheek and she smiles gently at me, the gold highlights just about visible now. For a moment, she looks as if she is about to steal a kiss, but presses on instead, “Randi took care of me and has done ever since I got here.”

_That would explain what she said earlier._

“So that’s why you said Randi was the only family you had left.”

Chloe nods, “Yep, along with Lee of course. Randi made a damn good parent. He blames himself for everything. I can see it when he looks at me sometimes. Sure, it wasn’t ideal, but I don’t regret it or blame him.”

_What do I even say to that? I mean, it’s not like there is anything I can say to make all the hurt go away._

“Chloe… I’m… I’m sorry…”

She shakes her head and places a hand on my cheek, offering me a small smile, “Max… its fine. I’m here now and things have worked out ok. They could have been a lot worse. Dad’s alive and mom’s happy. I’m sure if dad had died, it would have messed me up completely. Plus, if I wasn’t here, I might not have met you, so…” her voice trails off at the end and I swear I can see her blush lightly, but she turns her face away to stop me from seeing.

“That’s a very good thing,” I confirm.

My words cause her smile to widen, “Anyway, enough sad shit. The past is the past and you can’t change it. You just have to live in the here and now. I just… wanted you to know is all.”

_I’m glad she felt comfortable enough to tell me. I didn’t like the thought of her struggling with it almost on her own. She has Randi and I bet Victoria knows too, but still…_

I return her smile, “Well, thanks for trusting me with it.”

Something flickers in Chloe’s eyes, but it disappears as quickly as it comes, “Thanks for listening. It feels good to get it off my chest.”

“Anytime.”

She gently lifts the blanket up and slides out of bed, stretching as she does so, “Anyway, I have places to go, people to do.”

My heart drops knowing she’ll be leaving again. I look over at her and suddenly become very aware that she is only in her underwear right now. I immediately look away, trying to hide the blush on my cheeks. I can’t help but glance over again though. The blue faint lines on her pale skin disappear under her clothing as she pulls it on.

_It really is so pretty._

I hear stifled laughter and when I come to my senses, I see that Chloe is grinning at me smugly.

_Shit, she must have caught me staring._

I look away shyly, which causes her to chuckle heartily. I refuse to look at her as she perches herself on the edge of her bed. Her voice is coaxing, her hands nudging me to get my attention, “Max… come on, it’s ok to be curious. I don’t mind,” I glance at her as she rubs the back of her neck, “Maybe… maybe I want you to be curious…”

_I guess if she was that bothered about it, she would’ve gone in the bathroom._

At this moment in time, she is as awkward as me.

_Neither of us really know how to do this… but that kind of makes me feel better in a way. I’m not the only clueless one here. I don’t feel like I’m messing up as much._

She grabs her boots from the floor and starts putting them on. Her top rides up at the back as she leans forward and I place my hands up her shirt. She jerks from the coldness of them, “Damn, Max. Your hands are hella cold,” she shakes her head at my mischievous grin and prods my shoulder, “I am so gonna get you back for that.”

She gets up and I have the sudden urge to grab onto her sleeve, an urge I follow up on. She looks down at me, meeting my gaze, “Do you have to go, Chloe?”

She must have seen the disappointment in my face, because she sits back down and moves some loose strands of hair out of my face, “Yes, but don’t worry my dear Max, I shall be back soon.”

She tenderly kisses my forehead and stands up to leave again. Before she exits the room she turns back for a brief moment as if she is about to say something, but she just shakes her head and continues on her way. I hear the office door shut and I am all alone. I lay there for a moment, contemplating things.

_Man, things have escalated so quickly. I’m not really sure what’s happening any more. All I know is that I just have to be here for her._

I decide to make my way to the café. I get dressed, pulling on my jeans, t-shirt and hoodie. I reach inside my hoodie pocket for my phone. As I pull it out, a folded up piece of paper falls out onto the floor. I bend down to pick it up and see something scrawled on the outside.

**To Mad Max**

I recognize the scruffy handwriting as Chloe’s and open it up, almost dropping the paper in my excitement.

_Dog Max, calm down. What are you? Some giddy teen with a crush? I suppose the answer is yes._

I unfold the paper, my eyes taking in her words.

* * *

**Max,**

**Sorry I had to bail again. I really don’t want to, but I have a job to do. I promise when I get back, we’ll do something nice together. I think we hella deserve it.**

**I’ll see you when I get back,**

**Chloe xoxo (this isn’t an emoji!)**

* * *

Her quickly scrawled note brings a huge grin to my face.

_And she thinks I’m a nerd…_

I place the paper back in my pocket and make my way to the café.

* * *

I enter the café and see Kate wiping down the counter. She must have heard me come in because she stops what she’s doing and waves me over. I weave my way through the empty chairs and tables to the counter.

_It must be really early here._

I glance over at the clock on the wall, but can’t make head nor tail of it. The jukebox is on again, playing softly in the background.

* * *

**_And I was running far away_ **

**_Would I run off the wall someday?_ **

**_Nobody knows, nobody knows_ **

**_And I was dancing in the rain_ **

**_I felt alive and I can't complain._**

**_But now take me home_ **

**_Take me home where I belong_ **

**_I can’t take it anymore._ **

* * *

Kate looks up from her cleaning as I take a seat and smiles, “Max. How are you this morning?”

I return her smile, “Not too bad thanks.”

Kate places a hand on her hip, a knowing glint in her eyes. Something about that look worries me, “Sooooo, are you killing time waiting for Chloe?”

_Here we go._

I rub my neck awkwardly and feel the beginnings of a blush form on my cheeks, “Yeah.”

She raises an eyebrow, grinning smugly as I shift awkwardly on my chair, “So, what’s going on between you two anyway?”

_Interrogation time. I guess it’s only fair after I went undercover for Chloe._

I clear my throat and lean in closer to her, my voice low to prevent anyone else from hearing even though no-one is here yet, “Well, she took me to that room, the one where you can use memories or imagine stuff and it appears.”

Kate nods, waiting patiently for me to spill all the juicy details, “I know the one you mean.”

_Man, this is kind of embarrassing to talk about._

I exhale deeply, calming the butterflies in my stomach, “Yeah, she took me to a lot of places there and talked a bit about herself… then…” my voice trails off as I remember what happened.

Kate gathers together the empty glasses on the counter and places them by the sink then she turns back to me, “Then?”

I shift awkwardly on the chair under Kate’s intense gaze, “Then we… kissed.”

Kate beams at me and clasps her hands together, “This is so amazing.”

I smile involuntarily to myself at her excitement. Someone comes up and orders a coffee to go. Kate turns and prepares it for them. I hold off on continuing until the person leaves.

_I don’t want to get Chloe in trouble._

When I am sure that the café is completely empty, I continue, “Yeah it is. Ever since, we’ve just been taking things steady, you know?”

Kate nods eagerly, “I’m so glad for both of you, but especially Chloe. I don’t think she’s had an easy life.”

My mind wanders back to the conversation we had earlier, “Yeah.”

A booming voice comes from behind us and loud footsteps reverberate off the walls, “Kate my dear, how are you and our fiery goddess getting on?” we turn to see Randi smiling at us as he approaches the counter.

Kate giggles at his words, “Victoria and I are fine. Thanks for asking.”

He winks at her then turns to me, “Hello, Max. How are things going your end?”

I swing my feet, “Pretty well thank you.”

He offers me a wide toothy grin, “So I hear from Chloe.”

_I suppose it would make sense that Chloe would tell Randi._

His warm brown eyes pierce mine, the intensity of his gaze causes me to blush and turn away to hide my embarrassment. Randi pats me firmly on the back, nearly knocking me off my chair. I have to grab onto the counter to stop myself from falling flat on my ass, “She can’t stop gushing over you. It’s cute really. I haven’t seen her this alive in… well ever. It’s nice to see her smiling for a change as opposed to scowling. Lee nearly fell off his chair when she smiled he was so shocked.”

Kate places a to-go cup on the counter in front of him and he offers her an appreciative smile, “Thank you, Kate.”

She beams at him, “You’re very welcome.”

A few more people enter the café and come over to the counter. Kate takes orders and gets to work while they sit down at one of the tables. I move my head over to look at Randi who has yet to take a seat, “Aren’t you staying?”

He sighs, running his fingers through his short blonde hair, “I really wish I could, Max. Unfortunately, there is a huge pile of paperwork with my name on it.”

_Randi and Chloe are more alike than I first thought. Her behavior makes a lot of sense now._

He turns to leave, but pauses for a moment and glances back over his shoulder at me, “There is however something I wanted to discuss with you briefly, if you can spare a few moments, Max.”

_I have some time to spare, so I may as well. Also, it would be nice to get to know Randi a bit better. Maybe I can get some dirt on Chloe while I’m at it._

I nod, “Sure.”

He smiles charmingly at me, “Great. Let me get you a drink first.”

_I can’t let him do that. Why does everyone seem so keen to buy me drinks? Not that I’m complaining or anything._

I wave away his offer, “Oh that’s kind, but…”

He takes a sip from his cup and shakes his head firmly, “I insist. It’s the least I can do seeing as how happy you’ve made my little girl.”

_I guess I won’t turn down a free drink._

I surrender and accept his offer, “Ok then. Thank you.”

He winks at me, “Well, I can’t not offer such a lovely young woman a drink. What would you like?”

“Just a black coffee, please.”

His eyes glisten, “An excellent choice.”

When Kate is free, Randi orders a black coffee to go. She busies herself and comes back with a steaming to-go cup a few minutes later. He places down some weird currency I have never seen before on the counter that glows slightly as he hands it over. I thank the both of them and Randi leaves with me following close behind.

As we walk down the long hallway leading away from the café, he sips at his drink, “Is it ok if we speak in my office?”

I nod in response and he leads me down the corridor until we get to the door with the doe next to it. It is almost opposite Chloe’s door. I glance over and see the shimmering blue butterfly, its wings gently flapping.

_I look forward to her showing me the transformation. I bet it’ll be really something._

As we walk closer to her door, the butterfly transforms into Chloe’s face. There is a cheeky grin on her face and her bright blue eyes sparkle, the gold and purple tints shimmering. I take a few moments to really get a good look at the painting. A gentle chuckle from beside me breaks me out of my trance and I turn to see Randi grinning. He jabs his thumb towards the picture, “It really is a good likeness, huh?”

I look back over to the wall, “Yeah. It is.”

_She looks so happy here. I need to make sure that she smiles like that more often._

My eyes roam over Chloe’s features, her vibrant blue hair, that impish grin and her bright mischievous blue eyes that hide a deep pain…

_Chloe…_

I sigh and shake my head lightly to come back to reality. When I look back over at Randi, his brown eyes are filled with sadness as he stares at the painting of Chloe. As soon as he notices that I’ve seen him, he smiles sadly, “Chloe had to sit still for three hours for this painting. She wasn’t impressed as you can imagine.”

_I’ve not seen him like this before. The other times he’s been all smiles and jokes… I’m worried about what he’s going to talk to me about now._

“I bet.”

Randi walks over and runs his fingers along the wall, passing over Chloe’s face, a fond smile on his face as he does so. He leans in close to me and covers his hand with his mouth as if he is telling me his deepest darkest secret, “I’ll let you in on a little secret. Our resident cutie Kate Marsh did those.”

My eyes widen in surprise as Randi tells me this, “Kate did those?”

Randi nods, “She’s really good at it, huh?”

I place my hand on the wall, really examining Kate’s work. It’s almost crazy how much detail there is in each stoke, “Yeah. She is.”

He walks over to the other side of the corridor to his door, “And who is this ravishing young fellow?” he points to his portrait and winks at me as opens his office door. He steps aside to let me in, “After you, Max.”

I enter his office and look around. A desk sits to the left, covered in papers and god knows what else, much like Chloe’s desk was the first time… scratch that, it’s worse. Books are strewn over the floor, along with a pile of dirty clothes and take away containers. On the desk is a computer and a phone, which is buried under all the papers. Another door is to our right, I assume it leads to his bedroom and bathroom like in Chloe’s room.

He smiles sheepishly at me, “Sorry about the mess. Lee keeps pestering me to clean up, but I never get round to it. Even eternity isn’t enough it would seem.”

_I can’t really judge. I’m not the tidiest person around._

I shrug nonchalantly, “I’m used to it by now.”

Randi sits down and motions for me to do the same, “Yes, the amount of time you have spent with Chloe I suppose you must be. However, I could see the floor in her office the other day I went over. I’ll assume that was your doing.”

I take a seat on the opposite side of the desk, “Yeah, kind of.”

He gathers up a few of the loose papers and shoves them haphazardly in a drawer, “I’m glad to hear that,” he suddenly goes very quiet for a while, the tension becoming so thick that you could cut it with a knife. Suddenly I feel very nervous and uneasy about the whole situation. Randi must have picked up on it because he gives me a reassuring smile, “No need to worry, Max. You’re not in trouble or anything. I just wanted to talk about Chloe,” I nod, but still feel anxious as he leans forward in his chair, his chin resting on his hands with his eyes closed, “I know the two of you have become… close as of late.”

I nod shyly, “Yes.”

He opens his eyes and looks at me earnestly, “I’m not sure what Chloe has told you about her situation.”

I lean back in my chair, playing with the bands on my wrist to calm myself down, “She said she used to live in the Living world, but she resurrected her dad and became the grim reaper because of it.”

Something flickers in his eyes for a second, but before I can work out what it is, it has disappeared. He tilts his head slightly and continues, “She’s been through too much for someone her age… or for any age that matter. I have tried my best to make her as happy as possible, but there is only so much I can do,” he looks a little dejected at this thought, “You coming into her life was a very good thing. She has laughed and smiled more than I have ever seen her do the entire time I’ve known her.”

_I must admit, she has smiled a lot since I’ve known her. I thought that was just normal… it seems not._

Randi furrows his brow as his expression becomes troubled, “Both you and Chloe are old enough to make your own decisions and I don’t wish to intrude on your relationship. In fact, that is the last thing I want to do…”

_I have a feeling this is not going to be a cheerful chat._

He rubs his face, taking a moment to compose himself before lifting his head to look at me again, “…however there are somethings I feel I have to say as Chloe’s parent.”

He taps his fingers on the desk. His fingernails are short, in fact they look as if he has bitten them excessively. The dark circles under his eyes are pronounced and his eyes are slightly bloodshot. Frankly, he looks exhausted.

_He must have had a few sleepless nights. I wonder if they were over how to approach this conversation._

He scratches his chin while he composes his thoughts, “I think you will have noticed that you are in an unstable position.”

_That’s one way of putting it._

I bite my lip, worrying it between my teeth, “Yeah, I’ve had some really painful headaches, nosebleeds and I think I’ve been going back to my body for short periods of time.”

Randi nods, exhaling deeply, “I thought as much. Your case really isn’t so common. I mean we get a fair amount of people who shouldn’t be here, but they rarely experience the side effects as drastically as you have. We’ve only really had one or two as extreme as yours.”

_I have to be weird, as per usual._

He is silent for a few moments, which makes me feel uneasy. Just when I think he won’t continue, he speaks up, “You will eventually have to go back to the world of the Living and I think you know what that means.”

_That Chloe won’t be coming with me._

I look down, suddenly finding my shoes very interesting. My eyes sting a little at the thought of having to go back and leave her. Randi sighs, passing me a tissue which I take to dab at my eyes, “I’m not trying to make you feel sad, Max. I just want you to realize that it’s going to happen at some point. I don’t want you or Chloe to get hurt. I just want you to be prepared is all,” I look up and see his eyes pleading with me to listen to his advice.

_I know he’s only trying to help. Besides, he has a point… even if I don’t like to think about it._

Randi bites what is left of his nails, “I can’t stop you from getting close and I don’t want to. Like I said before, you’ve made Chloe really happy and judging by how you’re acting, I’ll assume it’s mutual.”

_I think this is the best I have felt in a long time. For once, I feel like everything is right. For so long I’ve felt at a loss, but now I just feel so happy._

I nod, maybe a little too enthusiastically, “Yes, sir.”

Randi chuckles tiredly at me, “I told you, Max. No need for that. Just call me Randi.”

“Ok, Randi.”

He clears his throat, “Just… be aware of the consequences. It’ll hurt no matter what, but just know that there may be a possibility that you might not be able to stay together.”

_There has to be a way, right?_

He seems deep in thought for a moment, then offers me a sad smile, “Look, there may be some way. If there is, I know Chloe will find it. She is stubborn, just like her old man,” this makes him grin for a few seconds.

_He really does love her and wants what is best for her. It must be hard to see someone you love walk into a situation like this. How would I feel?_

His face turns serious. Without his smile, he looks so much older, “I’ll do what I can to help you guys. I really want what you have to work, for both your sakes,” he offers me a reassuring smile and leans back in his chair, placing his hands behind his head, “If you ever need anything Max, my door is always open for you. Go on now, I know I’m dashingly charming and am amazing company, but you have things to do. God knows I do,” he winks cheekily at me.

I go to turn away, but his voice stops me, “Just please be gentle with her, no matter what happens. Also, just take care of yourself too.”

I spin around, almost falling over from my enthusiasm. Randi chuckles, which causes me to blush, “Of… of course,” with that, I leave.

_Man, things are really getting crazy up in here._

I reach into my pocket to have a look at the time and feel the crumpled up piece of paper in my pocket. I walk down the corridor with the dorkiest smile ever on my face.

_No matter what happens, I will make the most of every moment I have with her._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, some pieces are starting to fall into place. I hope you guys enjoyed that. Have a super day and see you next time.


	9. Nobody's Perfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Randi’s warning now resounding in her mind and even more weird dreamlike whispers emerging, Max begins to wonder how she and Chloe can make this work. Chloe has other things on her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back to the story. I hope you have all been well. This chapter is a little step back from the action, considering there has been a lot to process in the past couple chapters. 
> 
> Enjoy

**Chapter Nine: Nobody’s Perfect**

I sit in Chloe’s desk chair, waiting for her to return from her seemingly long shift. She has such a tough job, both physically and emotionally. Whenever she comes back from it, she is always so worn-out. She tries her best to hide it, but each day it gets easier to notice the toll it’s had on her. I’ve been helping out where I can, but there is only so much I can do with my limited knowledge of her work. It’s mostly paperwork I sort out, which Chloe claims to be the bane of her life. She’s grateful for anything I do and tells me that I’m the only reason she’s kept sane recently… but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to do more for her. I sigh, leaning back in the chair and gazing out of the small window in the office.

_Maybe I should see if Kate, Victoria or Randi have any ideas. They would probably know better than me what would help Chloe._

At the thought of Randi, my brow furrows. The conversation we had earlier has been constantly swimming around in my mind ever since I got back here.

* * *

**_“Just… be aware of the consequences. It’ll hurt no matter what, but just know that there may be a possibility that you might not be able to stay together.”_ **

* * *

I sigh and spin in the chair from side to side as I bite my lip, worrying it between my teeth.

_Surely, there has to be some way for us to fix this mess… somehow. For now, I just have to keep clinging onto that blind hope as I stumble forward into the unknown. So long as Chloe is with me, it doesn’t seem so impossible._

A sudden wave of haziness hits me, making it hard to keep my eyes open anymore. I move on into the bedroom, figuring that maybe a nap will help pass the time and let me recharge my batteries. There is no point worrying too much about what the future holds. I just need to focus on the here and now. I stagger forwards sleepily and flop down onto her bed. I snuggle up underneath the covers, forming my own blanket cocoon, and finally feel myself descend into the land of dreams.

* * *

**_I find myself running through a shadowy area. It’s hard to tell, but the tall thin shapes seem to be trees and I can hear water running beside me. A slight crunching noise fills the air as my footsteps hit the ground with a whirring sound gently humming all the while._ **

**_“Max… Come on!” an impatient hushed voice calls out to me in the darkness. It echoes around me and entices me forward._ **

**_I look around to locate the source of the voice and see a figure in the distance. I pick up my pace, running as fast as my legs will carry me to try and catch up with the ghostly figure, but they remain just out of my reach each and every time._ **

**_There is a very faint beeping noise in the background, almost lost in the sea of indiscernible whispers threatening to engulf me along with the darkness. I stumble forward, my limbs becoming heavier with each step I take and a dull aching enters my head. Soon I can no longer take another step, instead my legs give way and I collapse to the floor with a soft thud._ **

**_“MAX!” the voice is louder now, but I still have no clue who it belongs to. There are too many other distractions to decipher it._ **

**_As I lay there unmoving, the antiseptic smell intermingles with the scent of pine and cold drops of rain hit my clothing, seeping through to my skin as a cool breeze ruffles my hair. I try to move, but an invisible force keeps me pinned to the floor. The temperature around me suddenly changes, getting much warmer, and I am aware of something in my arm. The muffled whispers are even more jumbled and incoherent now. The voice from earlier keeps calling out to me, always louder than the other sounds I can hear._ **

**_None of this makes sense to me… and I’m not sure it ever will at this rate…_ **

* * *

I am suddenly nearly catapulted onto the floor as someone bursts into the room with all the subtlety of a blind elephant and launches themselves onto the bed, rudely waking me from my slumber. I feel arms and legs being wrapped around me tightly from behind, as someone presses their body against my back. It can only be one person.

“Wake up sleepy head!” Chloe shouts out excitedly as she grips onto me, “Don’t make me throw cold water over you,” she begins peppering my neck with kisses, something that doesn’t help with my ticklishness.

I try to sleepily scramble away, but her vice-like hold on me prevents me from moving, “Ch-Chloe,” I mumble between laughter, trying to bat her hand away unsuccessfully, “St-stop it.”

“Make me,” she challenges, blowing a raspberry on my skin which only heightens the sensation.

After a few moments of struggling, I finally manage to turn around in her arms and place my lips against hers, figuring that might distract her… that and it gives me an opportunity to kiss her. I’m not very impulsive and find it difficult to just instigate intimate stuff like this impulsively. It’s something I’m slowly working on. It might help if I had some sort of experience with this kind of thing.

She seems a little taken off guard by my sudden show of affection, but this is only fleeting. Before long she is kissing me back and her hands wander under my shirt. Her fingernails brush lightly against the skin of my back, sending shivers down my spine with each touch.

_If only this moment could last forever… then again, I guess it wouldn’t be a moment anymore. I would happily relive this few minutes over and over again for all eternity if it meant I could be with her._

My heart drops at the thought of one day having to return to a world where she doesn’t exist. Chloe must have sensed my sudden distraction as she stops abruptly, looking at me with concern, “Max… what’s up?”

My brow furrows as I sigh deeply, “I had a conversation with Randi earlier.”

She visibly tenses at this, her now dark blue eyes holding a flicker of fear. Her face turns pale as if she has seen a ghost and her once confident tone is hesitant, “What… did he say?”

I rest my head on her shoulder and mumble, “He said… that I’m probably going to have to go back to the Living world sooner or later... without you.”

Chloe shuffles closer to me, if that’s possible, and squeezes me gently, “Yeah,” is all she offers up.

I was hoping that maybe she had some plan by now, but it seems that she is as clueless as I am, “Isn’t there some other way?”

She looks at me with a conflicted expression, “I… don’t know, Max.”

Her disheartened tone worries me, it’s like she’s already resigned herself to the inevitable fact that I am going back without her.

_I can’t give up on this… I won’t_

“Is there anyone who would know? Or anywhere we could look?”

Chloe clutches at her necklace, rubbing the middle bullet between her finger and thumb as she thinks, “Well, maybe we can look in the archive. There’s tons of info about all sorts of things, so there might be something. We could also try and ask some of the other Reapers here. They’ve been here longer than I have, so it’s worth a shot.”

A faint flicker of hope passes over me as she mentions these possible options. I am willing to give pretty much anything a try at this point. Chloe shakes her head and the smile returns, however I can tell it is a bit forced, “Anyway, we can do that later. I promised you that we’d do something nice, so that’s what we’re doing.”

I decide to drop the issue for now and play along, “So, what did you have in mind?”

Chloe taps my nose with her finger, “Patience is a virtue, my dear Max.”

I gently nudge her shoulder, “Says you.”

A very slight melancholic smile forms on her lips at this, “I’ll have you know I’m _very_ patient… when I need to be.”

Before I have the chance to question further, she once again presses her lips briefly against mine, “Let’s get going, shall we?”

* * *

Chloe leads me by the hand, insisting that I keep my eyes closed to ensure it’s a surprise. It’s kind of cute how excited she’s getting about all this and I can’t help but get caught up in her excitement.

“I’m a bit worried about where we are going,” I mention as we head forward.

Her hand squeezes mine reassuringly as she pulls me along, “I’ll make sure to protect you, Max. Don’t worry about that.”

“Oh yes, because that _really_ fills me with confidence,” I chuckle.

She stops dragging me and I feel something press against my cheek for a brief second, “We aren’t going anywhere dangerous, promise,” she continues pulling me along.

After a few moments, she stops again and places a tender kiss on my hand, “You can open now.”

When I open my eyes, for a brief second I feel like I should recognize this place. The feeling soon passes, but it makes me feel weird nonetheless. We seem to be much deeper in the forest than before. In front of me is a clearing, a large oak tree sitting in the middle of it. Tucked away in the thick branches is a makeshift tree house, a dim light flickering from inside.

“This is my hideaway,” she mentions as she walks towards the tree, “I go here when I need a break from it all,” she begins to climb the rickety ladder and I follow up behind her.

When I reach the top, I am surprised to see how nice it looks inside. The floor is covered in various pillows and blankets. What seems to be a wooden crate with a thin blanket over the top stands in the corner. Colored fairy lights line the walls along with a few posters. A mini speaker has been positioned in the nearest right hand corner to the door, the gentle strumming of a guitar filtering through it, along with an almost melancholic voice.

* * *

**_I know that it is freezing but I think we have to walk_ **

**_Keep waving at the taxis; they keep turning the lights on_ **

**_But Julie knows a party at some actor's west side loft_ **

**_Supplies are endless in the evening; by the morning they'll be gone_ **

* * *

She pulls up the rope ladder through the door behind us to ensure no-one else tries getting up and covers the door with some kind of thick fabric, shutting out the cold night air.

_Chloe sure has made it a great chill out space. Props to her._

I glance out of the nearest window at the midnight sky. Stars twinkle brightly in its depths as the moon shines dimly on the forest below. Chloe motions towards the mountain of blankets and pillows, “Make yourself at home.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” I grin as I rest my back against some pillows positioned against the wall and curl up in one of the thicker fluffy blankets.

Once I’m settled, Chloe pulls the crate towards me and take out a bag she’d hidden in the corner, “I got us some food. I don’t know about you, but I am starving.”

I eagerly rub my hands together, “You read my mind.”

“I got Kate to whip up something special,” Chloe mentions as she hands over a plastic container along with a spoon, “She didn’t tell me what it was, but she assured me it was good.”

I take the lid off of the container and look down at the contents. It seems to be some kind of stew. Totally trusting Kate’s judgement on this one, I scoop up some of the stew and place it in my mouth. I have no clue what is in it exactly, but it is delicious.

“This is amazing,” I mumble between mouthfuls, trying hard not to spill it everywhere with great difficulty.

“On that we can agree, Max,” she chuckles as she digs in with her usual wild animal like ferocity.

Within moments, we’ve both finished off our heavenly food. Chloe sighs contently and leans back against the wall, her hands resting on her stomach, “Man, I needed that.”

“Are you ever full?” I ask wryly.

She shakes her head, “Not so far as I can tell, especially when people like Kate are making food.”

“She sure has a talent for it,” I mention as I stretch my legs out straight in front of me, totally stuffed now.

Chloe suddenly sits up and glances back over her shoulder at me, “Max, come give me a hand with this.”

“With what?” I question curiously.

She begins gathering up all the pillows and blankets from the floor, “I… wanted to make a pillow fort and thought you might like to join in.”

“I was wondering why there were so many blankets and pillows in here,” I chuckle as I help her, “Dare I ask where you got them all from?”

Chloe offers me an innocent grin, “I may have… acquired them through less than legal means.”

I shake my head at her, “So you stole them.”

She shrugs, “Only from the offices. No-one will mind…” she pauses for a moment, “I think. It’s too late now anyway.”

I roll my eyes good naturedly at her, “Why am I not surprised?”

We pick a corner and start constructing out pillow fort drawing on all our balancing and construction prowess. Soon enough, we have a pretty impressive fort big enough for the both of us to squeeze into.

Chloe regards our creation with a proud look, “Not bad, Caulfield. I have to say I’m impressed with your fort making abilities.”

I grin as she lightly punches my arm, “Thanks, girlfriend.”

She crawls into the fort, moving aside the blanket covering the entrance and gets settled. Once she is snugly inside, she pats the space beside her, signalling for me to come closer. I stash the now empty containers in the corner and crawl over to her. As I plop myself next to her, she grabs one of the blankets on the floor and wraps us up in it, forming our own blanket cocoon. Her hand snakes its way around my waist as I lean my head on her shoulder and I grab onto her hand, intertwining our fingers.

As we sit there, Chloe presses her lips against my cheek, “How are you finding it here so far?”

I snuggle closer to her, again surprised by how warm she feels against me, “It’s not as bad as I thought it would be to be honest. It certainly isn’t how I first pictured it, but it’s been kind of fun all things considered.”

She offers me a cheeky grin, gently squeezing my side, “I guess it helps having a hella hot tour guide, huh?”

I shake my head at her, raising an eyebrow in amusement and feeling a smile tug at the corner of my lips, “Oh, I wasn’t aware I had a hella hot tour guide. Where is she?”

Chloe pouts and narrows her eyes at me, “You are such an ass sometimes.”

I chuckle at her, then gently kiss her nose, “But I’m _your_ ass. And yes, I am very lucky.”

Her eyes shimmer in the dim light, the purple and golden fleck lighting up as she gazes deeply into my eyes, “You’re about to be.”

She leans down and presses her lips against mine, gently moving her lips as she re-positions herself to get a better angle. I reach up and slide my fingers underneath her beanie, pushing it off her head. I tangle my fingers in her faded blue strands, gently scratching at her scalp as she deepens the kiss. Her quivering hands roam along my back, memorizing every single contour and dip under my pink Jane Doe shirt. Her tongue explores my mouth, sending shivers down my spine as it brushes against mine. While the kiss is tender, there is a hint of desperation to it on Chloe’s part, something that both makes my heart drop and fuels my yearning for her. My body tingles as her hands glide over my back, leaving trails of fire where she touches.

When we finally break apart, I begin idly tracing the faint glowing blue lines on her neck with my fingers. At my touch, they glow more prominently, “I guess you noticed the whole skin glowing thing, huh?” Chloe mentions nervously.

I know that look she is giving me right now. It is the same look I have when I’m feeling self-conscious… which is a lot of the time. Anything that sets you apart from the crowd is often a point for those around you to make fun of and some people can be relentless in their teasing. It’s no wonder then that we all feel so aware of anything that make us different.

“Yeah,” I lean over and place a kiss on her neck, which elicits a small sigh from her, “it’s pretty.”

Chloe seems taken aback by this, almost skeptical, “People have called it weird and creepy before, never pretty.”

I take hold of her hand and kiss the back of it reassuringly before gazing deeply into those unusual eyes of hers, “It is, just like you.”

She blushes, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink at my words. Her expression is so vulnerable right now, as if anything I say could break her into tiny pieces as she mumbles under her breath, “Another thing no-one has really said before.”

I raise an eyebrow skeptically at her, “You serious? I find that really hard to believe.”

Chloe shrugs, her expression distant as she mumbles, “Something about being the embodiment of Death kind of puts people off.”

I lean over and kiss her cheek, squeezing her comfortingly in an attempt to cheer her up in some way, “Not me.”

She offers me an almost indecipherable smile, “Well, you’re just plain weird… but in a good way,” she looks exhausted, barely able to keep her eyes open as she rests her head against mine and her breathing slows to a steady pace, “Besides, I think you’re much prettier than I am,” she mumbles sleepily.

Suddenly feeling drowsiness cloud my mind, I shuffle to get more comfortable beside her, “That’s because you are too modest. Chloe, you’re perfect.”

There is a brief silence between us before Chloe sighs, “Nobody’s perfect, least of all me.”

I gently rub the back of her hand with my thumb, “To me you are.”

Just before sleep takes me, I see the faintest of smiles tug at the corner of her lips. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Take care and see you next time.


	10. Balance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the thought of possible separation from Chloe looming over her, Max is desperate to find a way for her and Chloe to remain together. Will she be successful?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, how’s it going? Here is the next chapter for you. Lyrics used are from ‘If I be Wrong’ by Wolf Larsen.  
> Enjoy

**Chapter Ten: Balance**

**_I find myself once again in the forest, or at least as far as I can tell from the blurry outlines and distorted ambient noises. I scan my surroundings more thoroughly for any clues about what is going on. I still haven't figured out why I'm seeing any of these strange dreams, if there is a purpose to them. Are they visions of the future? Broken memories? Weird dream logic?_ **

**_Cheerful, carefree laughter suddenly echoes through the air and breaks through my thought, something I am really not used to in these dreams I've been having recently. I stumble forward, desperately searching for the source of the mesmerizing tone._ **

**_"C'mon Max, hurry up," a ghostly whisper calls out to me, reverberating in my mind, "You'll get left behind."_ **

**_The voice compels my legs to move, fills my mind with an indescribable feeling of joy and brings an involuntary toothy grin to my lips. I don't really know where my body is taking me, but it seems certain of the direction and I have little choice but to follow it seems. The laughter only increases as I go deeper into the forest, a sound that makes me feel at ease with the world._ **

**_"Can't catch me that easily," the hushed voice challenges, only fueling my desire to chase after the echoes. The closer I get, the clearer the voice seems to become, which only increases the need to run. I have to know who it belongs to. Something tells me that its the key to everything._ **

**_As I continue running my body starts to become heavy and my pace slows. No matter how hard I try to push forward, my limbs feel like dead weights and refuse to move. These dreams won't let me discover the truth, they only allow me fragmented moments before darkness begins to take over my surroundings and finally engulfing me._ **

* * *

**Tree House**

My eyes flutter open as a dull ache passes over my mind and the remnants of the dream I had slowly fades away. Thankfully this time I'm not bleeding all over the place, which is progress. A wave of contentment passes over my mind as it wonders back to the dream I had this time, which is a welcomed change from the usual extreme confusion.

_I have no clue what it means, but at least its left me feeling good for once._

Pushing the weird dream to one side for now, I yawn and rub at my eyes. Surprisingly, the pillow fort Chloe and I fell asleep in hasn't collapsed during the night. I was half expecting to wake up with a mountain of pillows and blankets on my face, especially considering that Chloe is not a still sleeper by any means from my experience. It seems our construction skills held up under fire.

Chloe has her arm wrapped around my waist and her head nuzzled into my neck with her legs tangled up with mine completely restricting my movement, not that I really want to move right now anyway. It's warm and comfortable, which is more than enough to suppress my will to get up and face the day... not that I need much motivation. I give in to the overwhelming laziness and snuggle back up against her, sighing contently. I would be quite happy to wake up like this every morning, in fact I want that more than anything and it worries me that I might not be able to. Now I've experienced this, I don't think I can go back to how things were… without Chloe. Even simply thinking about the possibility makes my heart feel as if its being mercilessly ripped from my chest.

After a few moments I can feel her stir against me, her hold on me loosening as she shuffles closer and sleepily whispers in my ear, "Mornin' Max."

"Hey, Chloe," I reply softly as she lazily kisses my neck, her lips soft and her breath warm against my skin. I recoil slightly from the ticklish sensation and feel her smile against my skin before she relents.

"How are you feeling?" she asks curiously through a yawn.

"Better now I've seen you," I cheesily remark.

Chloe rolls her eyes playfully at me, "Wow, Max. Just when I think you can't get any dorkier…" she shakes her head then stretches out, nearly hitting me in the face.

"Hey," I shout out, "Watch it."

"Sorry, didn't mean to," she chuckles heartily.

I sigh deeply at her weak defense, "Like hell I believe that…"

"Aw, don't pout Max," she lightly teases, enjoying watching me react to her. She glances down at the watch like bracelet on her wrist and sighs resignedly, "Better get to it I suppose."

"You have to go already?" I ask dejectedly.

"Not yet, I have to be ready though. I'm always on call," she mentions as she carefully untangles herself from me, "I need to eat something. Working on an empty stomach is not good," she shuffles on out of the pillow fort and I follow close behind her. She gets to her feet and stretches her arms above her head before suggesting, "Let's go grab some grub then figure out what to do from there."

"I like the way you think," I agree as we head on down the ladder and back to the main building, the warm sun beating down on my skin as a warm breeze gently ruffles my hair.

Soon enough we are back just outside the café and we enter inside to find it empty apart from one familiar figure sat at the counter, Randi. When he hears our footsteps, he turns and smile warmly, "Chloe, Max, how are you this morning?"

"Pretty good thanks," I respond with Chloe nodding in agreement as we join him at the counter.

He gives us a look of mild amusement and offers us a knowing grin, "You certainly both seem happy today."

"Well, with Max here it's pretty hard to feel sad," Chloe mumbles shyly much to Randi's amusement.

We order some food from Kate, Chloe insistent that she pay for me, and begin to dig in to our meal. As per usual it tastes heavenly, not that I expected anything less from Kate. Randi sits there nursing his coffee beside us, almost seeming to be in his own little world. Usually he seems so aware of his surroundings and is never this quiet, but I guess we all zone out sometimes. The gentle strum of a guitar slowly filters out through the speakers of the retro jukebox sat in the corner.

* * *

**_What if I'm wrong, what if I've lied_ **  
**_What if I've dragged you here to my own dark night_ **  
**_And what if I know, what if I see_ **  
**_There is a crack run right down the front of me_ **

**_What if they're right, what if we're wrong_ **  
**_What if I've lured you here with a siren song?_ **

**_But if I be wrong, if I be right_ **  
**_Let me be here with you tonight._ **

* * *

Chloe finishes her food off way before I even really have a chance to start and she keeps eyeing up my plate while I eat, waiting to see if I'll leave anything. When I've finished off about three quarters of my breakfast, I finally give in and gently push the plate in her direction. Her eyes light up and she offers me an appreciative grin as she chows down on my leftovers.

_I usually leave stuff anyway, so I don't mind and if that makes her happy for even a second then it's worth it._

I watch with my chin propped on my hand as she almost inhales the food and feel a small smile tug at my lips, as well as a pang of despondency. This kind of moment is bitter sweet for me. I can't ever get enough of them, but I have to remember that we might not get many more if we can't figure out a way to stay together. At this thought, my brow furrows and my heart sinks in my chest.

_There has to be a way to solve this somehow._

I take a sip of my black coffee, which is now cool enough not to burn me for once, and rack my brain, trying to think up some way to make our staying together a possibility.

_Randi did say he would help where he could, maybe he knows someone who could help us. It's worth a shot at least._

After a moment's hesitation, I swallow hard and shuffle in my chair to face him, "Randi…"

His head snaps up from his coffee at the mention of his name, "Yes, Max."

I glance around to check that no-one else is around before turning back to Randi and hopefully asking, "Do you know anyone who might know how to help us?"

He looks thoughtful for a moment while stroking at his short blonde beard, "Well, I think it would be worth going to visit either Ash, Leo or Ali," he nods firmly at his own suggestion, seeming more confident in it now, "They are the oldest grim reapers here, dog, cat and rabbit respectively. I reckon they would be your best bet, or at least they'd be able to send you in the right direction if nothing else."

_At least that is something to go on. At this point, I am willing to try anything he or anyone else might propose._

I can't help the involuntary grin tugging at my lips at the possible lead, "Thank you, Randi. Seriously."

He offers me a smile tinged with melancholy, his deep brown eyes flickering with something I can't quite decipher, "Don't mention it."

A few moments later after we've finished off our drinks, both Chloe and I make our way out of the café off on our newest mission. Chloe leans against the wall just outside and tiredly runs her hand through her hair, "We should go see Ash. She's easier to handle than the other two and unlike most people in this place, she really knows her stuff. She's spent more time than anyone in the archives and then there's her first-hand experience as well."

"What about the others? Maybe they might know something too," I suggest, not wanting to rule out any options yet.

She sighs wearily as she folds her arms across her chest, "Leo ends up sleeping most hours and when he's awake, he just wants to make mischief. Ali is shy and hard to corner. She gets used to people, but it takes a very long time and we don't have too much of that on our side. Don't be fooled though, if you cross her she is pretty scary," she pushes herself off of the wall and begins to walk over to the main offices, "If Ash has nothing, we'll try the others."

I follow her to the very end of the hallway lined with offices and stop in front of the last door on the left. The door is purple and the painting beside depicts a large chocolate Labrador type dog infused with indigo veins running along its body. Before it has time to shift to the human form, Chloe decisively walks up to the door and pushes on it without knocking.

_Chloe really has no awareness of privacy…_

I sigh before following her in. A woman, who looks to be in her early thirties, is sat at the cleanest desk I have seen in this place so far. I can't see her tattoo, so I assume it must be hidden by her clothing. When she hears the door creak, she sighs and slowly raises her head with a tired expression, "Leo, I thought I told you that I was b-" her eyebrows raise in mild shock when she sees Chloe. This last for only a second before she puts down her pen and offers up a weary smile as she brushes the stray strands of her mid-length, dark brown hair out of her cloudy indigo eyes, "Ah, Chloe. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Chloe seems abnormally nervous under the other woman's light interrogation, "I… we were wondering if you could help us out."

Ash regards me with an interested look, "I don't think I have seen you around here before. What is your name, my dear?"

"Uh… it's Max, ma'am," I stammer nervously. You'd have thought that with all the new people I had encountered that I would've gotten used to it by now. Sadly, that is not the case.

The older woman's face registers mild surprise, "I am certainly not used to such polite company. It is a refreshing change I must admit."

_From what Chloe has told me, people around here aren't very nice… and that is an understatement._

"So I've heard."

Ash motions for us to sit down on the chairs in front of her desk, an offer we take her up on. It's then that I notice a gentle violin playing in the background from the computer speakers, which she turns off before propping her elbows on the desk and leaning her chin on her hand. Her intelligent eyes fall on me with curiously, "I wonder, are you the same Max I have been hearing about? If so, your presence has caused quite the stir around here, especially among the Grim Reapers."

I shuffle awkwardly in my chair as she stares at me intently, "I had kind of noticed."

_I don't get why really, I'm not anyone special. No-one ever gives me a straight answer though._

"It would be hard not to," Ash admits before leaning back in her chair, "Anyway, I'm sure you have not come to hear me rambling. What can I do for you two?"

"Well," Chloe swallows hard before answering, "I have been doing a bit of research."

Ash's eyes narrow very slightly, "That is an intriguing concept. May I ask what you have been investigating?"

Chloe glances over at me for reassurance. I subtly nudge her foot under the desk and reach out for her hand, squeezing it encouragingly. She lets out a long shuddery breath before turning her attention back to Ash, "Hypothetically, if a Reaper wanted to say, permanently live in the human world…" she pauses for a moment to gauge Ash's reaction. Her expression remains stoic, which could mean pretty much anything. Chloe takes her silence as a sign to continue, "would that be possible?"

Ash gives her a long hard look before responding, "I have a feeling this is a little more than a hypothetical question, however I shall answer it regardless," she closes her eyes momentarily in contemplation then looks back up at us, "Normally for a Reaper born in this world, it would be near impossible. They would most likely die the second they set foot in the living world, the body used would age rapidly as it has to be confined to human laws of nature, Grim Reapers live for eternity after all, so it would take some extremely strong magic to make it possible," she raises an eyebrow curiously, "I suppose your hypothetical question was asked with yourself in mind, right?"

Chloe seems hesitant to answer this accusation, probably worried that if she makes it too obvious that Ash will shout at her or worse. I bump my knee against Chloe's and gently rub the back of her hand to calm her nerves.

_Randi wouldn't have sent us here if he thought that Chloe would get in trouble, he obviously trusts Ash enough to suggest discussing this sensitive issue with her._

Her hand trembles in mine as she reluctantly confesses, "Yeah."

Ash remains silent for a while, the atmosphere so tense that you could cut it with a knife. Just like with everyone else around here, she looks so exhausted. Her eyes switch between Chloe and I, which makes me feel uneasy too. Ash really doesn't put all her cards on the table, taking the time to sufficiently size up a situation before giving her take on it. Just when I think that she will remain quiet forever, she finally speaks up, "Well, glad to see that Randi was not trying to pull my leg."

Chloe's brow furrows slightly in confusion, "He… told you?"

"He did. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me," Ash chuckles lightly, the tension in my body slowly fading at her reassurances, "You know, he actually came over and told me you'd probably be dropping by at some point."

"I don't know whether he's trying to help or do it to just being nosy sometimes," Chloe sighs tiredly, her hand still firmly holding onto mine.

Ash flashes us a fond smirk, "You are not the only one. I still can't work him out even after all these years, but I tend to believe it is a bit of both."

"I think you're right there," Chloe agrees. She would probably know better than anyone.

Ash's expression turns more earnest as she pulls out a huge dusty book from one of the drawers in her desk, which she opens and flicks through the pages, "Since you were originally born in the human world and have only been the Grim Reaper for a few short years, you are at an age where returning would be possible without killing you immediately."

I can almost feel Chloe perking up at this, her shoulders no longer hunched and a hopeful glint entering her blue eyes. My own heart soars at this and I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding in. Chloe must have noticed this, because she offers me an understanding smile and places a tender kiss to my cheek.

"However," Ash interjects, which immediately makes the feeling of unease return, "there are some issues," she focuses on Chloe as she explains, "Firstly, you will have noticed a deterioration in your tolerance of the Living world. Each moment spent in this world makes it much harder for you to spend any substantial amount of time there. You would need a very powerful charm or potion to ensure that your integration would be successful. This would be an ongoing treatment and it would be painful re-adjusting."

I glance over at Chloe, who doesn't seem phased by this in the slightest. The fact that she would be willing to go that far is… heartwarming, but also a bit worrying. I don't want her to have to suffer or take any unnecessary risks over this.

Ash flicks through the book again, stopping when she reaches the page she wants, "Secondly, regarding the contract. It is fully binding and ties you to this world. Without breaking it successfully, you would simply be tracked down by those regulating the system and brought here again," her expression becomes downcast and her voice lower, "There are very few theorized ways to break the contract. Any that have been tested were… unsuccessful."

"How so?" Chloe asks, her blue eyes flickering with desperation to know how to make this work.

Ash props her chin on her hands as her brow furrows slightly, "While there are twelve official reapers, there have been some in between that have been stricken from the public records. Only those who were around at the time really know what happened. They caved under the pressure and wanted out, among other reasons. Desperate for a way to escape, they tried methods which have for sound reasons been banned," she exhales deeply and rubs at her temples, "Let us leave it at that."

"So… you're saying it's impossible?" Chloe tentatively asks.

"Not impossible. Just highly unlikely and dangerous," Ash confirms reluctantly. It appears that she doesn't think this would be a good idea to try.

_It doesn't sound like there is a good chance of that option being successful. There has to be another way. Think Max._

It is then that I am hit with another possibility, one that is a little terrifying but something I would be more than happy to commit to if it meant that I could stay with Chloe, "What if a human who didn't belong in this world… wanted to stay here?" I propose cautiously.

Ash gives me a curious look before tilting her head to the side in thought, "Taking life when it has not been ordered by the system is viewed very poorly. I believe Chloe knows this."

Chloe nods sadly, "Yeah."

Ash taps her long fingernails on the desk in front of her and exhales wearily, "The only people allowed to stay here for any prolonged period of time are those who have died. As you are still alive, it would be… problematic," she briefly glances over at Chloe before continuing, "Even upon death, there is only a limited amount of time you could actually stay in the Grim Reaper facility before you had to pass on officially and would not be able to return. We can't leave this place either, unless it's on business."

My heart sinks in my chest at this knowledge, starting to lose hope. I knew it wouldn't be easy and I'm not going to give up any time soon, but the fact that one of the oldest Reapers is telling us that it will be complicated isn't all that comforting.

Ash's expression turns conflicted, as if she is seriously debating something in her head. After a few moments of silence, she tentatively announces, "There is a potential loop hole."

_If there is some way I can stay here that would avoid putting Chloe in danger, I just have to know._

I swallow hard before prompting her to continue, "Which is?"

"If…" Ash looks over to Chloe almost apologetically as she sheepishly suggests, "the human was to become a Grim Reaper, like Chloe did then-"

Chloe jumps up abruptly from her chair, her body tense and her voice tinted with anger, but also fear, "No way. Out of the question."

Her sudden show of hostility and panic is shocking to me, "Why?"

She turns to me, her eyes so dark right now and her chest rising and falling rapidly as her hands shake, "Max, there is _no_ way I am letting you go through that..." her bottom lip quivers, "No way in hell."

Despite Chloe's obvious reservations about this option, we don't really have much choice, "But if it's the only way…"

I don't have the chance to finish off my sentence before Chloe storms off out of the room. Ash sighs and leans back in her chair, "There I go opening my big mouth again. I knew Chloe wouldn't like that option, but I said it anyway. Sorry, Max."

"It's ok, you've been a big help. Thank you," I stand up and re-adjust the bag strap on my shoulder, "I should probably go track down Chloe though."

"That would be wise before she starts breaking things," Ash agrees before offering me an exhausted smile, "It was nice meeting you though, Max. Drop by any time."

"Thanks," I say as I all but run out of the office and almost collide straight into someone, just managing to stop in time. When I look up I see two people, a guy with short, ginger fluffy hair and piercing light green eyes and a woman with long, light blonde hair and gentle brown eyes, who offers me a brief sheepish smile.

"Well, well, who do we have here?" the guy questions with an inquisitive look, "It's not often our dear Ash gets human visitors."

"Uh, I'm Max," I glance down the corridor for any sign of where Chloe could have gone before looking back at the two of them, "Have you seen Chloe go past here by any chance?"

"Ah, so you're _the_ Max… interesting," he strokes at his chin, "To answer your question, yes. She was heading off to her office if I'm not mistaken, right Ali?" the woman nods shyly while gripping onto the man's sleeve.

"Leo, is that you I hear?" Ash calls out from inside her office.

"You got me, Ash," Leo chuckles, "Ali and I are coming in whether you like it or not this time. You need to get out of that office and we will drag you out of there if we have to."

A gentle sigh filters through the gap, "Come on in before I change my mind."

Leo grins victoriously and gives me one last sideways glance before entering into Ash's office with Ali close behind him. After the brief distraction I race on down to Chloe's office door, my heart racing in apprehension as I place my hand on the handle and gently push the door open. When I don't see her in the main office part, I carry on through to the bedroom. Sure enough, she is laying on the left hand side of her bed, curled up with her back to the middle so I can't see her face. I slowly make my way over to the bed and slide onto it. Chloe doesn't move much or even really acknowledge my presence initially so I lay down and hesitantly reach out for her shoulder to get her attention, "Chloe…"

After a few seconds, she slowly unfurls and turns over to face me. My expression softens and my heart constricts painfully when I see her tear stained cheeks. I gently shuffle over to her and, when she doesn't move away, wrap my arms around her comfortingly. She nuzzles into my neck and I can feel the warm tears drip down onto my skin, which only makes my hold on her tighten.

_I hate seeing her like this, so sad and resigned._

When Chloe has finally composed herself enough to talk, she removes her head from my neck and gazes into my eyes, "Max, becoming a Grim Reaper was the single most painful experience in my life. Even now I am not adjusted to it and I never will be. Humans aren't supposed to become Reapers, not really. I don't belong anywhere, not here or in the living world… not anymore," she swipes at her eyes before continuing, "I don't want you to ever have to go through something like that," her dejected expression and wavering voice all serve to add to my desire to never let her go for any reason.

_I don't want to leave her side and she doesn't want to leave mine._

"You know, I don't enjoy this job one bit," Chloe sadly mentions as I play with her soft faded blue locks, "Every day I hear their cries of loss and… they haunt me every time I'm alone with my thoughts," I place a kiss to her cheek in an attempt to alleviate some of the pain from her eyes and she offers me a melancholic smile before continuing, "Someone has to do this, to play the bad guy. What happens if there's no death? People live forever, great right? No. What if they are in pain? What if food runs out and everyone starves, but they have to live? There is no pain, no suffering here and people eventually get reunited with their loved ones…" she exhales deeply, her expression becoming troubled, "but they have to go through a lot of heart break before that."

I squeeze her reassuringly to let her know that I am here for her. Sometimes just knowing that is enough. I can't even begin to imagine what she has had to suffer through up until this point, what she's had to sacrifice.

"Life isn't fair, but Death is even crueler," she mumbles under her breath after a few seconds of us laying there in silence.

"Chloe…" I reach out and touch her cheek, rubbing my thumb soothingly against it.

She places a hand over mine and leans into my touch, closing those mesmerizing eyes of hers, "Everything is so fucked up, I've lost too much already and I just… don't want to see you go," she whispers softly.

"You don't have to," I reassure, "not if I stay here."

"But…" her unfinished sentence trails off into silence.

"Chloe, this is my decision. I want this… want you…" I lean in and place a gentle kiss to her lips, "Let me make this choice."

Chloe takes my hand in hers, playing with my fingers, "I've been trying to come to terms with the fact that you'd be leaving," she admits reluctantly as her voice wavers, "I didn't want to make it harder for either of us, harder than it was already anyway. The closer I got to you, the heavier that weight became."

I press my lips lightly against her forehead, "You don't have to worry about that now. I'm not leaving. Ever."

Chloe lets out a shaky breath before gazing deeply into my eyes, the fleck of gold and purple flickering and her tone low, "I've tried so hard to resist getting my hopes up…"

I place a tender kiss in her lips, silencing her protests, "Then don't resist," I whisper by her ear.

After a second's hesitation she reciprocates my affection, leaning in and capturing my lips. It starts out hesitant, but as time passes the kiss becomes firmer and more confident. Chloe seems to be finally relaxing and coming to terms with my decision as her hands wander along my back, sending shivers down my spine at her touch. I deepen the kiss, much to Chloe's approval, and tangle my fingers in her hair. I never seem to be able to get close enough to her or to get enough contact no matter how hard I try… and believe me I've tried. After a few moments we slow down the pace, finally letting it wind down to a stop.

Chloe has the dorkiest grin on her face I have ever seen, which I am probably mirroring or even outdoing right now, "It's going to take a while to prepare everything," she announces as she tangles her legs with mine.

"I thought it might," I offer up a cheeky smirk, "I guess you're going to be stuck with me for longer than you anticipated, huh?"

"Oh, however will I cope?" she wryly remarks, which earns her a gentle tap of mock disapproval on the head from me, "Ow."

"Oh come on, that didn't hurt."

Chloe rubs the spot on her head dramatically, "I dunno, I might be getting a concussion or something."

"I'll give you a concussion in a minute," I playfully threaten.

She grins impishly at me, "Oh that is fighting talk, Caulfield," her grin fades ever so slightly, now replaced by a more vulnerable look, "Hey, thanks for hearing me out and… everything. Even you just being here makes things a million times better."

I groan at the cheesy line, but deep down I love how unguarded she is right now, how much she is trusting me, "Don't get all mushy on me. You'll ruin your badass punk rocker reputation."

Her expression softens and for the first time, she seems at peace with the world as she idly plays with a strand of my hair and gazes deeply into my eyes. They glow a light blue, with the gold and purple extremely visible and the faint blue lines on her skin becoming visible, "Some people are worth ruining it for."

I blush lightly at the unrestrained emotion, "You are such a dork."

Chloe smirks at me smugly, "Says you."

We lay there for a while, exchanging tender kisses anywhere we can reach as well as gentle touches and sweet nothings, completely oblivious to everything else around us. A tornado could rip right through this building right now and we probably wouldn't pay it much mind. For the first time in so many years, I feel content, more than that I feel… happy, like some balance has finally been restored… that's when I realize it. I belong at Chloe's side. Something deep down inside is telling me that, call it instinct, destiny or whatever other mysterious force of nature you want, I just know that this is where I am supposed to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, everything seems to be looking up for Chloe and Max, doesn’t it? Have a great day, stay safe out there and see you next time.


	11. Butterfly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Max having decided that she wants to stay in the world of the Dead, more specifically with Chloe, things are looking up for once. Now, they just have to wait until everything is set up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. Sorry this chapter took so long to get out. Life kind of got in the way of writing. Anyway, the lyrics used this time are from Missing by Seafret. Enjoy the chapter.

**Chapter Eleven: Butterfly**

Not too soon after our chat, Chloe has to shoot off for her work again. Much to my disappointment and hers. That is the nature of her job though, being on call 24/7. It's a huge commitment. I kind of wish I could go with her when she leaves, but I know that's not possible. Once or twice I've briefly woken really early in the morning up to find her gone. Somehow she always manages to come back before I properly wake though. Even if it's just for a couple of seconds to greet me with a smile.

Chloe doesn't get any time to herself as far as I can tell, not with her work and me around both vying for her attention. She always seems to spend her time away from work with me. I'm grateful and beyond happy that she does, but sometimes I wonder if she needs a break from everything. If I told her this she'd tell me I'm being stupid. Still, I can't shake off the feeling though.

 _Maybe I'm just too self-conscious…_ _scratch that, I am_ _ **definitely**_ _too self-conscious._

I shake these thoughts from my mind for now, figuring that I just need to distract myself for a while. So, I decide to take refuge in the café yet again. There are more people around than in my previous visits. It must be around lunchtime now or something. Not that I would really know for definite. Some of my fellow, yet more long-term, residents in the world of the Dead mill around the café. There are a few groups hunched over plates, happily chatting away to one another. Others sit alone, nursing steaming cups of coffee and staring off into the distance. The Jukebox plays in the background just like every other time I've been in.

* * *

__**You try to get back how it used to be.**  
Searching for truth in the words I speak  
but the message is blurred and never quite complete.  
How you look in my eyes, I know you deserve more.

_**Reflections in the water help to clear my mind,** _  
_**stretching out before me to the other side.** _  
_**We didn't even get a chance to say goodbye.** _  
_**Give me something to live for, something to die for.** _

* * *

After standing there and listening for a while, I approach the counter and join the back of the short queue forming by it. Kate really has her work cut out today, but she seems to be taking it all in her stride. She's probably had to deal with busier than this. I imagine this place can get extremely full at times.

When I finally reach the front of the queue she beams at me cheerily, "Hi, Max. I take it Chloe's out at the minute."

I rub the back of my neck with a sheepish grin, "It's that obvious, huh?"

"Yes, but it's pretty cute really," Kate chuckles as she moves a tray of used mugs beside the sink, "What can I get you?"

With no time to really ponder my choices given the huge queue amassing behind me, I order a tried and tested black coffee. I'm not really feeling hungry at the minute, so I opt out of getting any food. Chloe will probably be famished when she gets in, so I'll just wait around for her.

_Then again, when isn't she hungry?_

An involuntary smile quirks at my lips at that thought. Hopefully things here will have died down by then. Kate soon returns with a steaming cup of coffee for me. After paying and thanking her, as well as promising to return later to chat, I worm my way through the tables and people with limited grace. A couple of people grunt and mumble under their breath as I push my way through. Finally, I manage to find the exit into the hallway and make a direct beeline for it. Once I step out of the crowded space, I straighten up with a sigh of relief. Having too many people around is kind of stressful, so I'm glad to be out of there.

_Man, I'm such a loner._

I jump and almost spill my coffee when I feel an unexpected hand placed on my shoulder, "Max, can I have a word?"

Once I've managed to compose myself enough, I turn around to see Victoria there. Given her demanding tone and unyielding expression this doesn't sound like a request I can really refuse. Whenever anyone has cornered me like this before, it's always been to discuss something to do with Chloe. Usually something I won't necessarily like. That's the only real reason anyone around here would need to talk with me. There is no way I can get out of this now though.

"Y-yeah… sure," I reluctantly agree after accepting my inevitable fate here.

She wordlessly motions for me to follow her down the corridor to her office. After taking a deep breath in an attempt to prepare myself for all eventualities, I traipse behind her reluctantly. While I don't think Victoria would do anything bad, she is kind of scary sometimes. Maybe it's just because she looks pissed off all the time. Also, just because somebody says something with the best intentions doesn't mean it won't hurt to hear.

We continue on in awkward silence until we reach the right door. When we get to her office door, she pushes on it and steps inside. I follow in after her and sit down in the seat she gestures to by the desk. After taking the chair opposite min and propping her chin on her hand, she gives me a long searching stare. I shuffle uncomfortably under her scrutinizing gaze, wanting to be literally anywhere else now. Any prolonged attention makes me feel uneasy.

"What do you intend to do next?" Victoria suddenly asks, wasting no time with pleasantries to break the conversation in.

I have a feeling I know where this is going, but I don't want to get ahead of myself like I often do, "How do you mean?"

Her eyes narrow a fraction and a light frown forms on her brow, "I hear that you plan on staying. Is that right?"

Chloe must have told her at some point. I have no idea where this conversation is going. It's hard to read Victoria. Still, all I can offer her is the truth, "I want to, yes."

One of Victoria's eyebrows quirk up slightly at this, "I see," her eyes close momentarily before she lightly sighs in relief, "That's… good to hear. I was really getting worried."

_I guess it's understandable for people like Victoria to get worried about Chloe. They seem to go back a way. Even though they fight and argue all the time, deep down they both care. This proves it._

I go to take a sip of my coffee, finding it too hot to drink. Abandoning that idea, I cradle the cup in my hands instead, "That I'd leave?"

She nods slowly in response as the tension in her shoulders fades, "Chloe's had a hard time getting here. She deserves to be happy more than any of us. She needs someone like you."

This statement is really puzzling to me, "Someone like me?"

Victoria stares directly into my eyes with an unwavering gaze as she says the next part, "Someone who gives a shit and she feels comfortable around. She's been alone too long," a brief distant flicker of melancholy and sympathy enters her eyes before she clamps down on it, "Anyway, that's all I wanted to say. I'm sure you've been lectured enough since being here."

Her concern for Chloe brings a smile to my lips, "I'm glad to see that Chloe had people like you to rely on. I can see why Kate loves you."

The moment I say that, Victoria's eyebrows shoot up to her hairline and her eyes widen in shock. Her jaw drops slightly as she stares at me in silence, seemingly speechless.

_Thinking back, maybe that was a weird thing to say… way to go, Max._

Just as I'm about to inarticulately backtrack, Victoria offers up a genuine smile and a light chuckle as she leans back in her chair, "You do say the most surprising things, Max," she shakes her head before motioning back over to the door leading out into the hallway, "Go on, now. Don't let me keep you. I'm sure Chloe will be back soon. She'll get mad at me if I keep you from her too long."

Taking her up on her advice to leave now, I stand up and make my way over to the door. Just as I place my hand on the door handle, Victoria's voice pulls me back, "Oh, and Max?"

I glance back over my shoulder at her, "Yeah?"

She takes a moment to meet my eyes before she softly mentioning, "Take care of yourself as well as Chloe. You've picked a tough road to follow. Let me know if you need anything."

"I will."

With all these people around offering their help it's hard to feel alone or burdened here. That's what can be missing from the world of the Living. Sometimes, people get so caught up in their own heads that they forget there are others suffering just as much. It's easily done.

While I haven't met all the Grim Reapers and other employees yet, so far they all seem like a tightly knit mismatched family. Always looking out for one another and having each other's backs. You'd have to be in their situation. Even for the non-human Reapers, it must be difficult taking life as regularly as they do. It must wear them down after a while. Given what Ash said earlier, some really couldn't take it and risked everything to get out. Nobody seems to choose this job voluntarily, not that I blame them. Someone has to do it though…

This what is going through my mind as I make my way back into Chloe's room. Everything is getting crazier by the minute. First I'm thrust into a totally new world because of an admin error and now I'm going to be staying here forever with the woman I've come to love. I have no idea how much time has passed since then in the Living word, maybe a couple weeks or even months. My body clock is totally out of sync and any time telling devices I have don't seem to work properly here. Like there is some kind of interference. Time keeps jumping about all over the place. Still, I have more pressing matter to worry about than work out the time differences.

After sitting down on one of the chairs by the desk, I finally start drinking my coffee. It's cooled down significantly since getting it, which is good because I always manage to burn myself. Before I can get too caught up in my thoughts again, the door opens and Chloe steps inside. She rests her scythe against the wall and shrugs off her cloak with a sigh. Without hesitation, she comes over to the desk. I stand up and pull her into a tight hug. It always feels so right being in her arms like this.

"Sorry I took a bit longer than normal," she apologizes as she pulls away and gently takes my hands in hers, "I was… checking up on a few things. Mostly trying to figure out how to keep you here, with Ash's help. She's a damn saint in disguise, I tell you."

Chloe seems more at peace knowing that I want to stay here and that there might be a way to do that. She's not entirely happy with the arrangement, but we don't have much choice left. It's either we do this or I have to go back without her. Neither of us want that.

It's a scary thought dying for real, but I have Chloe here with me so it doesn't seem quite as terrifying. Whoever is waiting for me on the other side will see me again soon enough when they pass. Death reunites as much as it takes. This decision just feels… right. I can't really explain it, but something deep down inside is drawing me here, to Chloe. In this situation, I can only follow my instincts.

_Right now all I know is that I don't want to leave Chloe's side, whatever consequences that decision brings._

I wave away her needless apology, "No need to apologize for that."

She goes uncharacteristically quiet then as she lightly squeezes my hands, "Max…"

"Hmm…"

Her fingers interlock with mine as she tries to find the right words, "I really appreciate what you're doing. More than I can even express in words."

"I'm doing it for myself as much as I am you," I point out before she can say anything else. She keeps making out like I'm just doing it to keep her happy. In a way I am, but it's something I want too. I'll keep reminding her of that until that guilt finally leaves her eyes.

Chloe offers up an appreciative smile, "I know. Still, if you change your mind at any p-"

I cut her off with a stolen kiss before she can finish that ridiculous sentence, "No chance."

"Stubborn I see," Chloe chuckles as she leans in to return my kiss. After pulling away, her eyes show sudden realization, "Oh, I haven't shown you the butterfly thing yet have I?"

"No, you haven't."

I have to admit, it's something I've been wondering about ever since she told me. I've been curious to see, but I didn't want her to go out of her way or anything. She's been so busy and I didn't want to impose. Thankfully she's brought up the topic on her own. It should serve as a distraction for both of us.

She excitedly tugs at my hand, "Let's go do that now before I get whisked away again. Come on."

I let her lead me out of her office, our fingers intertwined as we head on down the hallway to the outside. We make our way deep into the forest away from prying eyes. Our pace slows to a stop just a few feet from the treehouse clearing from before.

_This really is a safe haven for her. Somewhere to just hide away from reality for a while. That's something we all need now and then._

The branches of the large oak tree intertwine with one another, the wooden treehouse entangled within. This whole area is so naturally peaceful and serene with colorful flowers poking through around the edges. I could easily see myself spending hours just mindlessly wandering around taking pictures.

_Which reminds me…_

I reach into my shoulder bag and produce my retro analog camera. I've been avoiding using it until now since there isn't a lot of unused film left. There might even be some here, but I didn't want to risk it before I knew for definite. Besides, I wanted to save it for capturing special moments. Spending time with someone I care about in a picturesque forest like this seems like a perfect time.

"Yo, Chloe," I call out to her.

She spins around just in time to flip off for the camera with her tongue stuck out. A bright light flashes and I collect the still developing photo. After a few moments I can see the resulting photo.

_So much for a nice photo… still, it has its charms. Just like Chloe._

I don't even notice her sneaking up on me to snatch the photo from me until it's too late. She regards it with focused attention before handing it back, "Not bad."

"Now you've gotten that out of your system, can we have one nice photo," I suggest pleadingly.

She holds up her hands resignedly, "Only for you."

The two of us stand close to one another. Chloe places her arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer. Our cheeks are nearly touching now. She stares up to the lens with a mischievous smirk as I press the button to take the shot. This time when the picture comes out, she takes it much more carefully. A faint smile forms on her lips as she hands the photo back over to me, "It's got my approval. I should stick it up somewhere."

"I'll hold you to that," I chuckle as I place the photos and camera into my bag so they don't get messed up.

With the obligatory photo out of the way, Chloe rolls her shoulders and cracks her knuckles, "Not many people actually get to see this transformation. Especially not humans."

I grin at her, "I guess I should feel special then."

Chloe gets that impish look in her eyes I've come to fear, meaning that she's plotting something to get me all flustered, "You should because you are special."

"I'm almost cringing from that," I sigh over-dramatically as I roll my eyes playfully at her.

A smug smirk tugs at her mouth, "Almost? I guess I'll have to try harder then."

After positioning herself near the middle of the clearing, Chloe takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. I can just about hear her muttering something under her breath, but I can't make out what exactly. There is a weird thrum of energy building up around her. It causes the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end. A shiver runs down my spine as the blue lines on her skin begin to glow and the transformation begins to take form before my very eyes. It's a surprisingly smooth transition from human to animal form, one I imagine takes many years to perfect. Within moment, where she was once stood there is a small blue butterfly flapping around in the air. If I had any doubt this was Chloe, the butterfly comes over and immediately dive-bombs me. I move out of the way just in time as it rushes inches past my face.

_What else did I expect from her?_

My hand extends and the butterfly settles on my index finger, gently flapping its wings. When I look closer, I notice that the wings are not a solid blue in colour. Thin veins of azure run through the darker blue. There are very faint specks of purple and gold too, much like Chloe's eyes. I can't help but give into the urge to take another picture. After fumbling around in my bag with my free hand, I pull out my camera again. Chloe must realize what I'm doing, because her butterfly form stays still on my finger. With some difficulty, I position the camera and take the shot.

The butterfly hovers just shy of my face as I examine the picture before it flutters off to the left. I take my eyes off the picture just in time to see Chloe turn back. The transformation to her human form is just as intriguing and flawless. It really is a marvel to behold.

Soon enough, Chloe is back to her familiar appearance. She stretches out before coming to stand by my side, looking over my shoulder at the picture, "So, what did you think?"

I glance back down at the photo, appreciating the seemingly impossibility of all this, "Beautiful, just like you."

My remark was obviously not expected if the light blush on her face is anything to go by. She playfully pushes my shoulder in an attempt to hide her embarrassment, "When did you get so smooth, Caulfield?"

I somehow steady myself before replying, "It's a skill one cultivates around pretty women."

Chloe shyly plays with a strand of her faded blue hair as she mumbles, You're really laying it on thick, huh?"

Someone needs to tell her all those mushy, romantic remarks and that person is me, "Until you believe it, then yes."

"Maybe I never will just to be showered by compliments," she mentions with a smug lop-sided grin.

I shake my head at her blatant desire to abuse that knowledge, "That works fine by me. Seriously though, thanks for showing me. I bet it's hard to do."

Chloe shrugs casually as if it's nothing, "It takes a bit of practice, but you get used to it."

My curiosity has really started to run wild now. So many questions jump to the forefront of my mind all at once demanding answers. I don't want to inundate her though so pick the most pressing one first, "How long did it take you?"

"Just under a year. Most manage it in a few months, but they were born here so it's easier for them. I'd say I've pretty much perfected the skill now though," she seems pretty proud of this achievement. For someone like her it is. Not many humans can say they're able to transform into a butterfly at will.

_Well, ex-human as the case may be for Chloe._

Another question pushes its way through, "How does it even work?"

Chloe scratches at her head before answering, "Using some old incantations and shit. It takes a lot of concentration and energy initially to change. Once changed it's just as natural as my human form now though. Which is good really because I have to use it for my visits to the Living world."

"It must be weird for you going back," I mention sympathetically. Going back to a world she no longer belongs must be a bizarre experience. A cruel reminder of the life she left behind.

Her face falls a bit on hearing this and I immediately regret bringing it up, "Kind of. Sometimes I take a quick detour and… check in on my parents. They seem happy, so that's something," her voice gets weaker as this sentence leaves her lips. After a second, she shakes her head violently and looks back to me, "Anyway, I didn't bring you out her to get all teary eyed over it. Things are how they are."

"At least we got to meet, right?" I hesitantly point out to try and cheer her up.

It seems my plan worked, because she breaks out into a wide toothy grin, "That is a very good thing. Having you at my side makes all the bad shit seem irrelevant."

To stem the tide of overly cheesy confessions, ones I might be enjoying just a little bit, I pull her beanie down over her eyes, "You'll make me embarrassed if you say stuff like that so loud."

She chuckles as she re-adjusts her beanie with an almost expert precision, "Oh you want to be the only one hearing my declarations, huh? I get it."

This question catches me off guard, "I…"

My sentence hangs in the air unfinished as she leans in close to my ear. Her tone is husky, tinged with a faint flicker of sadness as she whispers, "Well then Max Caulfield, you make death more than worth suffering."

The intensity of her words sends an involuntary shiver down my spine. There is some kind of hidden meaning behind that sentence. I can sense it, but I have no clue what it is she's trying to tell me. It is then I notice the middle bullet on her necklace glowing slightly. Something deep inside me wants to reach out and touch it, to take it in between my fingers. The pull is almost overwhelming. The last time I did, I caught vague whispers similar to those in my dreams. I know Chloe told me it was probably because of her connection to both the world of the Living and Dead that it happens when around her, but… I don't know what to think about it. If touched it again, would I get more? Before I have the chance to test this theory, Chloe pulls back and the moment passes. Reaching out for it now would be awkward, so I suppress the urge for now.

"Anyway, enough mushy shit. I'm hungry," she suddenly announces, breaking the tension forming around us.

I had a feeling it would only be a matter of time before she said this. She never seems to stop eating. Her stomach must be a black hole or never ending abyss. It's surprising that she remains so lanky with her food consumption.

_Maybe "bodies" works differently here. That might make sense._

Some of the Grim Reapers I have met must be ancient, as old as humanity itself at least and maybe even older than that. They all look so youthful though. Their human form must be fixed or something on officially accepting the contract.

"How did I guess you'd say that?" I ask with a knowing smile.

"Because we're totally bonded for life…" her brow furrows slightly as she corrects herself, "or death."

"There are worse people I suppose," I add cheekily which earns me a glare of mock anger.

Chloe can't keep it up for long though before she's smiling again, "You're just lucky you're so damn cute."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have an awesome day, stay safe out there and see you next time.


	12. Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that the preparations for Max’s permanent stay in this world are well under way, there is one more thing that has to be discussed with Max. Something that could change everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. Here is the next chapter for you to enjoy.

**Chapter Twelve: Confession**

Chloe and I lay there on the bed, just taking the time to have a snuggle together. She hasn't been in that long. The second she came in, she made a beeline for the bedroom where I was and immediately flopped down beside me. She always looks so worn out, especially recently. Among her work, she's trying to get everything sorted out for my more permanent stay and hanging around me too. I've been helping her with her paper work and anything else I can, but there is only so much I can do. A lot of her work needs proper training to do. Something I will need to learn eventually. With all this going on, we have to take our down time when it's granted to us.

Sometimes she gets in and sits down, then has to go again within five minutes. Other times she can have hours of undisturbed peace. It's just unpredictable like that. She does go out at least once a day, well a day here. Apparently, it is difficult to accurately translate the time between this world and the one I know. It fluctuates. One day here can be a couple of days in the Living world, or sometimes even a few months. Nothing is fixed. Unless I do some serious math and look into the old records to work it out, I won't know how long I have been here. Chloe told me it must be at least a couple of months though since I came here in the Living world. A weird thought really. Comas could last for several years, so it was almost impossible to use that as any indication.

_I suppose it doesn't really matter now. Not that I've decided to stay._

Chloe's eyes meet mine with a gentleness I have come to know so well. Every now and then, there is a flicker of something. Maybe guilt. It disappears too quickly for me to really figure out what it is. With time, hopefully that will completely leave her.

"How is everything going?" I finally ask, breaking the silence.

She places a tender kiss to my forehead before replying, "Well, it shouldn't be too long now. A couple days maybe. It's a good thing all the other Grim Reapers are around really. And that they are all over this. Such a nosy bunch…" She gives me an indecipherable expression then, her voice a little flatter than usual. "Want to go for a walk? I need to clear my head."

"Of course." I agree without hesitation.

This at least gets a smile from her. We slide off the bed and she grabs hold of my hand as if it is the most natural thing in the world, although there is something different this time. Her hand shakes slightly in mine. I don't say anything about it for now. If she has something to tell me, she will. We walk in silence through the building out to the forest. From the looks of it, we're going back to the treehouse from before.

As we approach the clearing, I notice the two girls from before that Chloe and I played pirates with. They can't be much older than eleven. For some reason they are crouched over near some bushes, speaking in hushed whispers. My curiosity gets the better of me and I go over to see what they are doing. The closer I get, the more I pick up on their coaxing comments. It seems they are trying to entice something over to them.

"What are you doing?" I ask them.

"Trying to get the kitty to come out." The nearest girl, with long blonde hair tied into a side plait resting over her shoulder, states matter-of-factly before returning her attention back to the bush.

Chloe catches me looking at the neat plait then smiles at the girl. "Have you been to see Kate today by any chance?"

She turns back to us with a smile and nods while twirling her braid. "Yeah. She does it really good."

_Kate does appear to be multi-faceted._

"What kitty?" I prompt, getting back on track.

The second girl, with a thick afro pushed back out of her deep brown eyes with a flowery headband, points through the undergrowth. "That orange one. My mom told me you have to be gentle with kitties. To not grab them, because then they'll be sad."

Chloe crouches down beside them and shakes her head when she sees which cat they mean. "Leo, stop playing hard to get and get your ass out here."

After a few moments, the cat finally emerges from the bushes. Its piercing green eyes turn to Chloe, seeming to narrow, before returning to the two young girls and brushing up against their legs. The girls seem ecstatic at this and immediately begin tickling the cat's chin and rubbing its back. It purrs loudly at them with its tail curling into a question mark shape. After a few moments, it rolls around on the ground on its back as the girls eagerly rub at its stomach and head.

It's nice to see them smiling like this. The whole atmosphere lingering over this place can get so gloomy and depressing. Death isn't the end. It's a new beginning. A different journey to undertake. Another path at the crossroads to explore. The one less travelled by.

The moment the girls leave, the ginger cat transforms with a red tinged light into the guy I saw outside Ash's office the other time. He shakes off, running his fingers through his hair before turning to us with a mildly indignant pout. "I was getting there. You know, some kids like to pull my tail and are really rough. Not that I blame them I guess, but still I have to check they're not gonna do that. Tails are especially sensitive."

"What are you even doing here?" Chloe asks interestedly.

Leo casually shoves his hands in his pockets, "My hunting instincts were kicking in, so I wanted to go sort those out. Then…" His expression and tone become wistful now. "I heard someone crying. Turns out one of those girls is missing their family. Then they both started crying. So, I thought I'd give them a distraction, you know."

Chloe nods sympathetically, her eyes softening and brow furrowing lightly. "It's hard for them to re-adjust."

"What even happens to the kids here?" It is a question I have been wondering for a while now.

With a soft sigh she begins to explain, "Depends. If some of their family, whether biological or adoptive, is already here and they pass the necessary checks, they go there. Otherwise, they can stay with a registered foster family. Either temporarily or permanently." She pauses for a moment before continuing. "Worst case scenario, they can stay here and we'll look after them until other arrangements have been made. There's always someone around here." Her face falls as she mutters the next part. "It's not like they can get in any life-threatening dangerous trouble anyway."

_It is a hard truth to accept. They seem so happy and… alive. It's really easy to forget where we are and why they are here…_

After a couple of seconds, Chloe shakes off her melancholy and turns to Leo. "Where's Ali?"

"Beats me." Leo shrugs nonchalantly.

Chloe's eyebrows raise skeptically at this vague statement. "Oh come on. You guys are joined at the hip all the time."

Just when Leo is about to protest, out of the bushes comes a small white rabbit. Its whiskers twitch nervously as its beady, brown eyes turn to us.

"Ali… you don't have to push yourself." Leo sighs with a tender expression.

The rabbit hops over and, in a faint yellow tinted glow, transforms into the woman I recognize from before. Ali takes hold of Leo's sleeve and shyly looks over to me. Her stare is gentle, yet searching. Like she's sizing me up. She doesn't say a word, but I feel like she is communicating with me simply through her eyes. They are so expressive. I find myself drawn to them. Leo leans down to whisper in her ear. She responds with a small nod, her eyes never leaving me.

_I have no clue what is going on anymore. Not that I really did in the first place._

"Well, we have things to attend to now I'm afraid. See you guys around." Leo suddenly announces. With that, they walk off into the undergrowth back toward the main building. Chloe and I are left alone again.

"Ali must have been curious to show herself around a complete stranger." Chloe points out, seeming surprised by the whole encounter.

"We did briefly meet before," I point out, remembering when Chloe stormed out of Ash's office with a frown. "Why would she be curious though? You make it seem like it's uncommon for her."

She nods at me. "Yeah, it is. Then again, there are a lot of people wondering about you."

That much I had figured out by the meaningful looks and excessive eyebrow raising from everyone around here. "Why?"

After some hesitation, Chloe finally replies. "Well… there is just something about you that makes people curious."

"Like what?" I ask, desperate to get to the bottom of all this.

She sighs deeply, seeming reluctant to answer for some reason. "I dunno, maybe something to do with me. Seems logical. The Grim Reapers just love gossip between themselves. Especially gossip related to their fellow Reapers. You'd have to ask them yourself."

"I doubt I'd get a straight answer even if I asked." I mumble, disheartened.

Whatever is being hidden from me feels like something I should know. Something important. Chloe's mouth opens as if she is about to say something. It closes a moment later. Her eyes are trying to tell me something, but words are failing her. If only I could read her mind. Make it easier for both of us.

After a few more moments, she finally speaks in a hushed tone. "While the Grim Reapers love to gossip amongst themselves, they can be very secretive among outsiders with certain information. Especially when related to their fellow Reapers. The people regulating the system would… over-react to learning about half the shit we do here. It's best to avoid anything that could be overheard by the wrong people. If there's one thing humans are good at, it's gossiping. Don't take it personally."

_There has to be more to it than that._

"I get it. It's just… I feel like I'm missing a lot of hidden sub-context sometimes." I mention with a sigh.

Something doesn't seem quite right here, and it's not the existence of this place. That I can accept. Weird things almost seem to follow me specifically. That's what it feels like anyway. This feeling of unease comes from knowing that there are things being kept from me that I _need_ to know. Maybe I'm just getting paranoid though. A lot has happened recently after all. Chloe is quiet while all this debate is going on in my head. She seems to be avoid my eye contact. It feels like she really wants to tell me something, but doesn't know how.

"Max… I…" her blue eyes close momentarily, as if she is searching deep inside herself to find the right words. "Look, there are a lot of secrets here. More than you can even imagine. This place is full of them. It's… difficult to tell some of them. Especially to you."

"Why especially me?" I push, tired of having to wonder and guess.

"Because…" she falters for a moment, her expression conflicted as she weighs up her options here. "Those secrets change things."

My brow furrows at this. "What do you mean?"

As if a switch has been flipped, hesitant words tumble from Chloe's lips. "I don't know. I won't know until I tell you and… that fucking terrifies me. But, I don't want to keep you in the dark all the time. You need to know certain things, because it might affect certain choices you make."

"Chloe…" I tentatively call out to her. The way she's acting now worries me.

She shakes her head, her voice wavering. So fragile as if she will break any moment now. "I can't… this wasn't supposed to happen, you know. I hadn't anticipated it getting so out of hand."

"Chloe, you aren't making any sense." I softly mention, not wanting to push her too hard now. The answers I want are so close now. I can feel it.

"I know. It's just… fuck." She turns away from me, refusing to meet my eyes.

For a moment, I wonder if she is just going to make a break for it and run. She doesn't though. Instead, she takes a deep breath to calm herself. She swallows hard, meeting my gaze as best she can right now. We stand there in silence for the longest time, waiting for something to change. Just when I think she will remain this way forever, she sighs deeply and steadies her resolve. Whatever it is she has to tell me, it must be hard for her.

"Max…" she hesitantly calls out to me. The next few words she utters were the very last thing I was expecting to hear.

"This isn't the first time we've met."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a great day and tune in next time for the penultimate chapter.


	13. Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One long-kept secret tying two fates together. Where will it lead those involved?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There may be feels incoming. That's all I'm gonna say.

**Chapter Thirteen: Decision**

I am rendered speechless as my brain goes into overdrive. What Chloe is saying now just doesn’t make sense to me. My brow furrows as I try hard to remember something… anything that would either prove or contradict her statement. No matter how hard I think, I simply come up blank.

_If we’d met before then surely I would remember… right?_

“W-what?” That is all I can manage in response. There are so many questions running through my mind, but I just can’t voice them. I just stare at her in complete shock, searching for some kind of answer. I don’t have to wait long.

After a couple of seconds have passed, Chloe sighs resignedly and her eyes close, “You don’t remember and… there is a reason for that.” Her voice wavers as she tries hard to finish the sentence without completely breaking down.

_I don’t…_

“Chloe…” I call out hesitantly, trying to make sense of all this somehow.

She looks down at her feet, avoiding all eye contact with me. Her fingers lightly brush the middle bullet on her necklace. The blue veins glow dimly at her touch, “Remember when I said I saved Rachel? I did, but… not using the necklace and when I said dad was the first…” She lifts her head slowly, her blue eyes reflecting the years of suppressed pain and suffering. “The first was… you.”

_Me? This is all so…_

A dull ache enters my head on hearing this confession. Faint images flicker through my mind and the same ghostly whispers from my dreams all merging into one as distant background noise. I can’t even think straight right now. Words fail me when I try to speak, my mouth opening only to immediately close again.

Chloe shifts uncomfortably as she hesitantly tells her story, “We were around thirteen at the time, playing our usual pirate games in the forest. I ran off ahead without you…” Her sentence trails off into silence as her resolve falters.

I want more than anything for the pain in her eyes to fade away. Tentatively, I reach out my hand to take hers. She meets my eyes directly, determination flickering as she inhales shakily. “You tried to catch up, but fell and… hit your head. There was blood everywhere. You were fading in and out of consciousness.”

The vague distorted whispers grow louder for a second, but not enough to distinguish them. Despite my best efforts, I can’t understand them. It makes my headache worse to try. Instead of clawing at loose ends, I decide to hear Chloe out first. No doubt her account will shed some light on this whole thing… I can only hope anyway.

Her eyes glisten with unshed tears as she runs her fingers through her hair, “You were literally dying in my arms. I was beside myself. Couldn’t think straight. All I wanted to do was make you better, but…” She places her head in her hands, slightly muffling her voice. “I couldn’t. I had to sit there, holding you and… watch the light leave your eyes as your body went limp.”

This is all so weird to hear. The thing is, I know what she’s telling me is the truth. The memories are right there in the back of my mind. I just can’t access them. Whenever I get too close to unlocking them, I am pushed back to square one again.

She lifts her head to face me with the most heartbreaking expression, “I just sat there for god knows how long, wishing you would come up with some dumb pun. Tell me I was a jerk for running off without you… anything.” She swallows hard as she utters the next part. “You… didn’t.”

_I can’t even begin to imagine how awful that was for her, especially at that age._

The resolve in her blue eyes wavers as she continues, “Anyway, you can probably guess what happened next. Randi comes along to… take you. He saw me crying and felt sorry for me, so made me an offer. The condition? That I become his successor, leave my life behind and that your memories of me would be used to help power the resurrection. Of course I accepted.” She meets my gaze with hesitancy. “I didn’t want my… best friend to die.”

“Chloe… I’m sorry you had to go through all this,” I gently place a hand on her shoulder to bring her back from the traumatic memory. “I’m here with you now.”

She takes hold of my hand and places a light kiss to it, “I know, Max. More than I ever hoped you would be.” The once suppressed tears fall thick and fast down her cheeks, so many years of secrecy and pain being released all at once. “Randi left us alone to say our goodbyes. I explained what was happening and you cried. You told me that you didn’t want to forget. You fucking broke down in my arms, told me that you loved me and… you kissed me. My first friend and my first kiss.” Her voice becomes little more than a whisper. “You sure have your timings right, huh?”

I reach up to place my hand on her cheek and gently wipe the cascade of tears away with my thumb. It pains my heart to see her like this. The only thing I can really do for now is to listen and be there for her.

She swallows back the tears as best she can, her voice thick with emotion. “I had to completely get rid of everything related to me from your life. If you had anything left that reminded me of you then the resurrection could potentially backfire and…” Her brow furrows as she sighs deeply.

Without another word, she climbs the ladder leading up to the treehouse. I stand there in the clearing, not sure what she is doing. She returns seconds later with a small cardboard box in her hands. It’s the same one I remember seeing and wanting to snoop in the very first day I came here.

After a moment of hesitation, she passes it to me. “I collected all the photos and… everything else.”

I take it from her and open the lid carefully to find it filled with photos, drawings and other random mementoes from my youth. This is my lost childhood in a box. I examine a few of the items more thoroughly. Vague memories flicker through my mind as my fingertips brush over the slightly crumpled paper, photos and trinkets. The moving images of Chloe and I messing around with such carefree expressions, our numerous sleepovers where we ate a ton of junk food and fell asleep watching films, late night conversations about literally everything and that last day, slowly begin to filter through and come to life. I feel like simultaneously laughing and crying as I am drip fed the memories.

“There were a lot. I must have missed one for you to be here,” she offers up a fleeting fond smile. “I guess you had it hidden pretty well.”

I focus on the last thing I can remember. Looking through an old journal of mine and a photo falling out of two girls dressed as pirates. Thinking back now, it must have been of me and Chloe. “I must have.”

Chloe’s brow furrows as guilt crosses her features. “Looks like it. You’ve been stuck between the two worlds because of it and it’s why you’ve been having all those weird dreams. They were probably a mixture of flashbacks from that day you were resurrected and brief glimpses of the hospital room your ‘real’ body is in right now.”

I recall the various broken dreams I’ve had since coming here. If they were memories trying to push through, it might explain the pain and stuff I’ve been experiencing. It must have been replicating what my body in the living world was going through.

“Someone kept calling to me, apologizing and… crying.” I divulge.

She nods solemnly before pressing on with her story, “I spent the next five years training up to be a Grim Reaper. Dad’s accident happened not too long after I left, so I used yet another bullet. I think I have the record as the youngest user to date.” Her expression turns angry as she continues. “Then the whole Rachel thing happened. I managed to kill that spineless bastard Jeffershit before he got his hands on her. He’s paying for his crimes now. As do all the sick and twisted bastards who come to this place.”

She doesn’t elaborate on this and I don’t dare to ask. I am glad to hear that some kind of justice is served eventually. It’s better than never getting punished for crimes committed in life.

Her expression softens as she turns her attention back to me. “I had a mini internal freak out when I saw you in my office. Why do you think it took so long for me to notice you?”

“I couldn’t tell.” I admit, feeling really unobservant.

Chloe sighs lightly, “Good. That’s what I was going for. Anyway, once the initial shock wore off I thought that it was a good opportunity. I could spend time with you again. Just like before. You would have to return eventually and have your memories wiped again, but… I wouldn’t feel so alone for a while.” She shakes her head and mumbles. “I know it was selfish…”

I immediately interrupt her before she launches into self-blame. “No, it’s not at all. Don’t you dare blame yourself for any of this.”

Her eyes meet mine, the blue so dark now with the flecks of gold and purple shining, “The real kicker is I think I’ve fallen even more in love with you than before. You shouldn’t be so hot, huh?” She forces a flat chuckle before her face falls again. “I knew it would backfire, but I would do anything to see you for one more second. I thought that would be enough, you know? A few days just to tide me over. No harm done…” She reaches out and tucks a stray strand of my hair behind my ear. Her finger tips linger on my cheek as she gazes deeply into my eyes. “The more time I spent with you, the more I craved.”

It makes my heart constrict painfully to see her so dejected. The flecks of gold and purple once visible are now entirely consumed by her dark blue irises. I don’t think I can bear it for much longer.

Chloe takes a deep shaky breath as her brow furrows slightly, “So… now you know. I lied to you and myself, getting you stuck in this situation.” Overwhelming guilt flickers in her eyes now. “You could have gone straight back with a little effort, but I didn’t want you to. I don’t regret it though. Not one second I spent with you. I would do it all again given the choice. No matter what the consequences.” Her eyebrows knit together angrily at this. “This fucked up world tore us apart. Kept us from one another. For what? It’s not fucking fair.” Her expression softens considerably then as her eyes meet mine. “Still, I kept you here longer than you should have been and… it potentially makes everything much more complicated now.

_Complicated?_

“What do you mean?” I gently prompt for answers.

She brushes her fingertips against the last bullet on her necklace. “Now I have to use this no matter what.”

My eyes focus in on the last bullet, noticing that the middle one glows much brighter than before. The blue veins running along the surface burn luminously making even the thinner, interconnecting ones noticeable.

Chloe must have realized what I am looking at, because she takes the middle bullet in her fingers. “This one’s yours, you know.”

“M-mine?”

She traces the lines lightly with her chipped blue varnished nails. “Yeah. All these lines symbolize the emotional bond to the person resurrected. That’s why it reacts so strongly when you’re around.”

I feel oddly drawn to the bullet and instinctively reach out to touch it. Chloe lets me do it without any resistance. It reacts almost instantaneously. A gentle thrum of energy radiates from the metal bullet, warming my fingertips.

Chloe’s fingers wrap around my hand, softly holding it in place. Her hand completely engulfs mine as she continues in a lower hushed tone, “The conventional method for turning a human into a Grim Reaper, aka how it happened with me, wouldn’t work on you because you’ve been resurrected before. You’re technically dead. The method works by feeding off life energy as the main fuel for the process, among other things like memories. That’s why it’s such a painful transformation.” She lightly pokes at the last bullet with her index finger causing it to sway slightly. “The only way we could substitute that is by using this last bullet.”

She finally lets go of my hand, hers now dangling limply at her side. I slowly retract my hand from the bullet necklace, instead slipping it back into hers. After glancing down at out now interlocked fingers, she offers up a melancholic smile and squeezes firmly.

“This way is much more dangerous to both you and me since it hasn’t really been tested before. The resurrection function would provide the life source needed for the process,” her expression turns more somber then. “In theory it would work, but I’m sure you know as well as I do the limitations of speculation.”

I squeeze her hand back. “Sometimes the potential risks are worth it.”

Her tone becomes flat now, “Yeah, but sending you back is much easier and safer. You’ll lose all your memories of me again, this time permanently so there is no risk of relapse, and just live out the remainder of your life. When you return here, you’ll go straight on through to the main city and… we might never even see each other again. You won’t know any different though. It’ll be like I never even existed.” A flicker of hope enters her blue eyes, the golden highlights glistening. “There is a small chance we could meet again though and start fresh.”

_Not being with her, whether I would remember or not, is really not something I even want to think about._

I shake my head firmly. “I don’t just want a small chance though, Chloe.”

Her mouth opens soundlessly, then closes once more. She stands there just looking at me for a while before responding. “Neither do I, but that’s all I can offer I’m afraid. There are no guarantees either way and… you don’t owe me anything. I chose to save you and the consequences are mine alone to bear. What you choose to do next is up to you…”

My heart drops as these words leave her lips, knowing what she is about to tell me to do. Part of me just wants to grab Chloe by the hand and run forever. It’s a childish notion, that we can outrun anything. Life and Death don’t work like that. There is only so far you can run away from your problems.

_Am I strong enough to make a decision either way?_

“So, you have a decision to make now you know everything. The most important one of your life,” Chloe’s stare is unwavering as she sums up my choices. “You can go live your life and you won’t even remember me… or you can risk everything to become a Grim Reaper, leaving everything you know and love behind.”

I am quick to correct her. “Not everything.”

Her eyes close momentarily as she gathers her composure. “I know you’ll make the right choice, Max.”

_This is a choice I never wanted to make. Stay and risk both our safeties or leave and forget everything. I don’t want to leave… but what happens if things go terribly wrong? We might suffer a fate worse than death…_

Then it hits me. This is not just my decision. There is someone else’s opinion that matters in this. Just as much as my own in fact. Even if she doesn’t want to admit it to me. I can’t make my choice without knowing. It would be irresponsible and cruel. I think I know the answer, but I need to hear it for myself.

“I just have one question for you before I make my decision,” I swallow hard to wet my suddenly dry throat. “Do you want me to stay?”

Chloe pauses, worrying her lip between her teeth. “I don’t want you to do something just because of me.”

_No way are you getting away with that answer._

“Chloe, just tell me… please.”

She runs her fingers through her hair. “Of course I fucking want you to stay, more than anything. You’re my first mate, my partner in crime, my first and only love… but the potential risk to you is so grave that I don’t want you making that decision lightly. Besides, I can look after myself. I’m a big girl.” She doesn’t say this with much conviction.

The moment she finishes her sentence I place my hand on Chloe’s cheek. She immediately leans into my touch and gazes deeply into my eyes. Those mystical purple and gold highlights set in deep blue glisten while the middle bullet on her necklace glows brightly. Pushing back the tears in my eyes, I stand on my tiptoes and lean in to press my lips on hers. Her arms wrap around me tightly, almost crushing me as she returns my affection. The emotion she puts behind it all makes my knees weak and a shiver run down my spine. Her tongue slides into my mouth, dancing with mine. Even now, the kiss still retains some form of tenderness among the desperation. My heart aches from the conflicted emotions and thoughts running through my mind.

_Can I really leave her on her own after hearing all this? I don’t know if I have it in me and I want to stay. But… I don’t want to put Chloe at risk either. It sounds like there are potentially grave consequences for both of us by making me a Grim Reaper. I couldn’t bear it if she got hurt any more than she already has because of me… or worse. Then again, she seems willing to take the risk and I am too. I don’t know…_

Chloe reluctantly takes a step back from me, as if to give me some room to think it over. After swiping at her eyes with her arm, she looks me straight in the eyes with an unwavering determination to follow my decision.

“So… what do you choose?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Dadapatata for providing the initial idea of being able to use the necklace to make Grim Reapers in some way. Tune in next time for the final chapter.


	14. Eternal Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What will Max choose? Or rather, what shall she choose this time?

**Chapter Fourteen: Eternal Promise**

**A-Side: Eternal**

The white washed walls slowly materialize before my eyes. Thin slivers of early morning sunlight seep through the gaps in the blinds, falling on the floor and metal framed bed pushed against the back wall. A small vase containing flowers sits on the bedside table along with a few cards. The steady electronic beep of a heart monitor and other background sounds pierce the otherwise silent room. Remnants of visitors linger. Abandoned cups of now cold coffee are dotted around, chairs once pushed against the wall now surround the bed and scrunched up tissues line the bottom of the trash can in the corner.

Footsteps pass by outside the room, echoing quietly in the long hallway leading off to patient's rooms. From the sounds of it, there aren't many people around now. It's probably before visiting hours. The only people around are patients and staff. I lay there on my back with various wires sticking from my arm, all monitoring and maintaining my unconscious body. My freckled face is so much paler than usual, like death warmed up. Essentially that is what I am at this point. Teetering on the edge between Life and Death. Not for long though. I have chosen my path.

If I had any doubts before, they have all but vanished now. In fact, I've never been so certain of a decision. Now all that's left is to face the consequences… be they good, bad or something in between.

I watch the life slowly seeping from me, my body becoming weaker with every passing second. It's such a strange out of body experience and I'm not really sure how to react to it. Tears sting my eyes, but not because I'm sad… not entirely. Although I'm leaving my life behind and all the people with it, something just as priceless is taking its place.

A warm hand slips into mine as I notice my blue eyes fluttering less and less, the steady beep of the heart monitor slowing, my body relaxing and breath becoming fainter. The hand squeezes mine tight as I gaze down at the rapidly approaching flat-line on the screen and hear the insistent high-pitched beep pierce the air. So many people shouting and rushing around... all muffled and in slow motion. None of it feels real to me. More like a hazy dream.

"We don't have to watch this." A gentle voice whispers close to my ear, breaking me from my trance.

Finally, I look over to the owner of the hand currently intertwined with mine. Her dark blue eyes meet mine and reassure me, but there is a flicker of guilt hidden just below the surface. Even after everything, she still blames herself.

I place my hand on her cheek and smile soothingly. "It's fine. I'm right where I want to be. Where I belong."

After glancing silently over at the scene before us for a moment, she places her hand over mine and closes her eyes. The tears fall down her cheeks like waterfalls. "I'm sorry, Max."

"It's not your fault and it never will be. This is my choice." I reassure her softly, reaching up to kiss her cheek.

Chloe says nothing to this. She simply places a tender kiss to my forehead in response. We turn our attention back to the scene before us. It's so surreal. I am both me and not me. I can see what she sees, the Max laying there. I can hear her thoughts, feel what she feels. She is… afraid. So afraid of the unknown. Afraid to lose everything… but she doesn't know what I do. She doesn't know what lies beyond. As for me… I'm not afraid. Not one bit. Why? Because I know. I know what happens after. That's what people fear the most, isn't it? The unknown. If we all knew what happened after, it wouldn't be as terrifying. I mean, that's why we cling onto anything to secure us. To give us purpose and hope of something after.

_I am not scared. Not anymore._

Certain that this choice is the right one, I glance over to Chloe once more. "Let's go back now. We don't want to keep everyone waiting."

As we make our way back to the place I now consider home, I welcome Death with open arms as my first mate, my partner in crime, my soulmate… my lover for eternity and beyond…

…this is the story of how I died.

* * *

**B-Side: Promise**

" _ **One day, I'll find a way to join you on the other side. I promise…"**_

My eyes flutter open as these words resound in my mind. After a moment, I rub at them and lay on my bed, trying to rouse myself enough to get up.

_Mornings are totally not for me. Or any self-respecting student for that matter._

As I lay there, my mind wanders to those whispered words. Ever since I woke up from a coma three months ago, they have always been the same. Whenever I am about to wake, I hear them without fail. I can never remember what comes before. Just these words. I have no clue whether they are from a dream or if they were ever said to me. They seem important though. To be honest, I can't really remember much from before. My memory before the coma is hazy at best. The doctors have told me that things might come back to me slowly and that I shouldn't force it.

_I can only hope. Not being able to remember things is a pain to say the least. On the plus side, I have an excuse when I can't remember things in class._

Deciding that I have been lazing around enough, I manage to sit up and stretch. Even though it's a Saturday, I can't get into bad habits. More than I already have anyway. I clumsily shuffle over to the edge of the bed and slide myself off, before making my way over to my window. My left arm rests against the glass as I stare out. Ever since waking, something feels empty. Like I'm missing a limb or something. It's difficult to explain without experiencing it firsthand. The world seems almost void of color and wonder. Well, expect for in Arcadia Bay's forest apparently.

About a week ago, I went there to get some inspiration for an upcoming photography project. On my search for a muse, I came across a butterfly. It felt strangely familiar. The energy surrounding it was so intense and the wings seemed to glow a ghostly blue, almost like a spirit. Me being the avid photographer I am, was adamant about getting a photo. Every time I got close, it fluttered off just out of reach. Something seemed to draw me to it. Such an overwhelming feeling pulling me in. It was so surreal. After my unsuccessful first attempt I returned the next day, finding the butterfly there once more. This time, it allowed me to get closer, but not enough to capture it. This went on for about a week or so. No matter where I had been before or what I had been doing in the day, I always returned to the forest the second I could. The butterfly was there without fail, just out of my reach.

Today I decide to try again, desperate to capture its beauty for eternity with my camera. With this task in mind, I get changed and head on out to the bus stop in front of Blackwell Academy. After getting on the next bus, I place my headphones in and allow the music to wash over me. There are some songs in my playlist that seem to resonate with me, although I have no idea why. I have never even heard some of them until very recently, as far as I can tell. When the bus pulls up at the closest stop, I get off and make my way into the forest.

Slivers of sunlight push through the vine and moss covered trees. Everything is overgrown, with colorful red and blue flowers pushing through the undergrowth and weeds. I stop for a moment to take a picture, crouching down and lining up the shot. Once satisfied with my work, I stash the photo in my bag and stand up. A graceful doe passes by very close to me then, staying long enough for me to get a pretty sweet picture. It stares directly at me before darting off again. As I press on through, I swear I can see it following me out of the corner of my eye.

_Maybe it's just my imagination. No time to be paranoid about stalker does, Max._

Finally, I reach the usual spot after pushing back branches and stepping over exposed tree roots with limited grace. When I don't see the butterfly immediately I begin to search around, but come up blank. It might be stupid to assume that a butterfly would wait around in the same spot for me every day, but that's what has been happening over the past week. Just as I am about to give up, the bushes rustle behind me.

Worried that it might be a wolf or some kind of wild animal that would consider me a tasty snack, I spin around to investigate. My heart pounds in my chest, adrenaline coursing through my veins ready to scarper. The panic subsides a bit when I don't see some snarling predator approaching. Instead, I see something I was not expecting. A girl. She hangs back in the trees, seeming uncertain of herself. It's difficult to see her properly like this. My feet move of their own accord to get a better look at her. For a moment it seems like she might run away, but she doesn't. When I get closer, now about a foot away, I can see her better. A lanky, punk rocker bluenette.

At first she doesn't meet my eyes, opting to stare at her boots. Just when I think she will refuse to look at me forever, she slowly lifts her head. Her expression is cautious and her azure blue eyes are filled with hesitation. Every now and then, I swear I catch a flicker of deep purple and rich gold in those eyes, but put it down to a trick of the light. People don't have eyes those colors naturally. My eyes wander down to the chain hanging down from her neck, three metal bullets attached. They are all dull and rusted, although in a certain light the middle one appears to glisten a faint blue. On her right arm is the very faint outline of a full length tattoo sleeve, although the details are indiscernible.

As I take in her appearance, something warm and wet rolls down my cheeks. Taken aback, I reach up and wipe away the tears falling down my cheeks. I find myself crying for no reason at all. So embarrassing. This girl will definitely mock me for being such a cry baby. At least, that's what I think she will do. Instead, she smiles at me. Such a gentle, kind smile.

Without hesitation, she approaches me and gently pulls me into an almost bone crushing hug. Normally, I would be shocked to say the least if some random girl came up to me in the middle of the forest and hugged me, anyone would. For some reason though, it doesn't feel weird. Before long, I am returning the hug. Being in her arms feels so right. My body almost seems to melt into hers. I don't understand any of this. Maybe it doesn't matter.

When we break apart, she doesn't say anything. She doesn't need to. Her eyes convey everything I need to know. Or at least it feels that way. She holds out her hand to me, a hand I take almost instinctively. Our fingers intertwine seamlessly, as if it is the most natural thing in the world. Maybe this is fate or destiny or something… and maybe I'm just a hopeless romantic. Either way, deep down I just know that I am supposed to be by her side. That this is exactly where I need to be at this moment in time. I can feel it in the very depths of my heart and soul. Some things in this world just can't be explained.

Life is strange after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there we go guys. Two different endings. One where Max watches herself die and the other where Chloe finds a way to live (Max's memories of Chloe etc. have been completely erased here, so no danger of relapse. Certain feelings still linger though). There were so many possibilities with this fic, so I wanted to reflect that a little. Also, to try and get the whole LIS vibe of decisions/alt timelines incorporated in too. I couldn't bring myself to do a hella sad ending, hence the compromised B-Side ending. We've all cried enough in this fandom. 
> 
> I may do a sequel or something in the future, depending on a few things. For now though, this story is over. Thank you all so much for reading, have a fantastic day and I hope to see you in another fic.


End file.
